by Anne Douglas
‘He might think Doctor Revie’s OK for his daughter, though. So handsome, eh? And ambitious. Everybody knows Doctor Revie’s going places.’
‘Doctor Lorne would never approve of the way he hurt Isla, Trina. He’s a nice, decent chap.’
‘Yes, but Doctor Revie would wriggle out of trouble somehow. He’s the type. Make out it was all in your sister’s imagination – he never meant what she thought he meant.’ Trina squeezed Boyd’s hand in hers. ‘But come on, it’s nearly time for curtain up; let’s not spoil our evening, eh?’
‘Let’s not,’ Boyd agreed, managing a smile. ‘You’re right, we shouldn’t let him spoil our time together. It means so much, eh?’
‘Oh, yes,’ said Trina, her eyes on the stage as the theatre lights dimmed, the curtain went up and a high-kicking group of girls danced on to great applause. ‘You bet I’m not going to let him spoil this show for me. I just love variety!’
Boyd didn’t and, in between gazing at spellbound Trina, found his thoughts going to Isla and the damage Dr Revie had done to her. How he wished he could do something! He couldn’t, of course, and by the time he and Trina were making for their own special place for saying goodnight, his sister had left his mind. At least, for the time being. Thank God the year had progressed and it was dark now when they approached their alleyway, for, like most lovers, Boyd was happier in the dark. No more white nights!
Even more than usual, Trina responded to his kisses and urgent caresses with a passion that filled him with rapture, so much so that when they finally had to make a move, he felt able to say the words he’d held back for so long.
‘Trina, I love you,’ he whispered.
When she sighed, but did not speak, he made her stop and turn towards him, so that he could make out her lovely face.
‘You feel the same, don’t you?’ he asked gently. ‘I know you do. We wouldn’t have been together as we have, would we? If you didn’t feel like me?’
‘We have been together a good while,’ she agreed, and laughed a little. ‘Bit unusual – for me.’
‘Proves what I said, Trina. Proves you feel the same as I do.’ He pressed his hands to her shoulders. ‘So, won’t you say it, then?’
‘Say what, Boyd?’
‘That you love me. Come on, say, “I love you, Boyd”. I have to hear you say it.’
‘Oh.’ She pulled his hands from her shoulders. ‘All right, then. I love you, Boyd. But why do we have to put things into words?’
‘Because words matter. If you mean them.’
Trina was silent, then sighed again. ‘I must go, Boyd. You know the rules for us livers-in.’
‘Yes, yes, I won’t keep you. There was just one other thing I wanted to ask. As you know, my folks are very anxious to meet you and I said I’d see if you’d like to come round some time. Just for a cup of tea?’
‘Your folks? You mean your mother?’
He could sense her stiffening, putting up defences.
‘Yes, well – no, it’s both of them. Look, it would just be a quick visit, nothing earth-shattering—’
‘It’s late, Boyd; you shouldn’t have sprung it on me now. Let’s say we’ll think about it, eh?’
Quickly, she kissed his lips, then turned and waved and hurried away towards the back entrance of the hydro, leaving him to stand for some time, wondering if he was any more sure of her than before. Except that she had said it, hadn’t she? She had said, ‘I love you, Boyd’. With those words echoing so wonderfully in his mind, he slowly turned to make his way back home.
Forty-Four
Only two days after she’d been seen at the theatre, Magda Lorne returned to school in Switzerland.
‘What a relief!’ cried the staff at the hydro, glad to be free of the doctor’s daughter for another few weeks. And what a relief for Boyd, too, for he was glad she was out of the reach of Grant Revie. It was nothing to do with Boyd who she went out with, but he didn’t like to think that she would want to be involved with anyone like Revie.
He’d said nothing to Isla of Trina’s sighting of Magda with Grant at the theatre, but he knew she’d already accepted that Magda was his next conquest and saw it as just one more nail in the coffin of her old feelings for him. He was not what she’d thought him, and if it took time to get over him, it would be worth it in the end.
In fact, as September moved into October, she told Boyd one lunchtime in the canteen that she was already feeling a little better: her pain not quite so raw, her opinion of herself for being such a fool not quite so low. Even when she saw Grant Revie in the course of duty, she no longer felt quite the same stab of regret, and sometimes – it might be her imagination – it seemed that he himself was not looking so very happy.
‘Guilty conscience, I expect,’ Boyd commented. ‘And you were never a fool over him. You’d a right to care for him, after the way he led you on, and I think you’ve been damned brave, the way you’ve coped.’
‘I wouldn’t say that, Boyd.’
‘Yes, I mean it.’ He shook his head. ‘I know if Trina gave me the push, I wouldn’t be able to face it the way you’ve faced what happened to you. I’m not proud of saying that, but it’s the truth, so I might as well admit it.’
‘There’s no risk of it, though, is there?’ Isla asked anxiously. ‘She seems very happy with you.’
‘No, there’s no risk, thank God, except—’ He hesitated, while Isla’s eyes sharpened.
‘Except what, Boyd? What’s worrying you?’
‘Nothing, really. It’s just that Ma keeps saying she’d like to meet her, and Trina doesn’t seem keen. She says her old aunt – and that’s all she’s got as family – isn’t bothered about meeting me, so why should Ma be different?’
‘That’s ridiculous! She knows Ma is different – and Dad, too, come to that. They’re right here in Edgemuir – it’s the obvious thing for Trina to meet them. You tell her you want her to do it. If she cares for you, she will.’
‘Maybe.’ Boyd looked away. ‘She does care for me, there’s no question of that, but, well, she’s probably just nervous – you know, about meeting Ma.’
Nervous? Trina? Isla could have smiled, but she kept a straight face as she said she’d better get back to work. And back at the treatment rooms, she was so worried about Boyd that she didn’t feel like smiling; this business of Trina’s refusing to meet their parents didn’t bode well for the future, did it? Or, maybe Trina was one of those people who didn’t care about families? That needn’t matter at all, as long as she really cared for Boyd. Isla just wished she could be sure she did.
About to enter the lift on her way to collect an upstairs patient, she heard Sheana’s voice calling, ‘Hold the lift, Isla, I’m coming!’
‘Hey, where’s the fire?’ Isla asked, smiling. ‘I’m sure your patient’ll wait for you, Sheana.’
‘I’m not seeing a patient. I wanted to catch you – have a quick word.’
‘What about?’
‘Well, there’s gossip going round that I don’t think you’ve heard. Folk don’t like to talk to you about Doctor Revie, you see, though this is news I say you’d want to hear.’
As the lift doors closed and they were whisked to the upper floor, Isla’s face was blank of all expression. Not looking at Sheana, she said, coldly, ‘If other people don’t talk to me about Grant, it’s because I don’t want to talk about him.’
‘But this is different!’ Sheana cried, when the lift stopped and they emerged on to the upstairs corridor. ‘Like I say, you’ll want to hear it, because it’s about him getting his comeuppance. We’re all thrilled because, seemingly, he’s been turned down flat by Doctor Lorne’s daughter!’
‘Magda?’ Isla asked quickly.
‘Yes, darling Magda!’ Sheana’s eyes were suddenly anxious. ‘You did know about them, eh? I mean, going out together before she went back to Switzerland? They were seen around – never bothered to keep it secret.’
‘I’d seen them together,’ Isla answered after a p
ause. ‘I didn’t know how far it had gone.’
‘Och, not far! Seemingly, before she went back to Switzerland, she told Kitty Brown she was going to tell him she wasn’t interested. And from the way he’s been looking lately, I bet she did tell him. Must have knocked him for six!’
‘Kitty Brown?’ Isla repeated. ‘Why should Magda have talked to Kitty Brown?’
‘Because she’s the only one of us Magda’s deigned to make a friend of, after they met in Edinburgh once. If you ask me, Magda’s just fascinated by Kitty being such a chatterbox and so different from all the starchy folk she meets. And the very one to spread the news about Doctor Revie – if that’s what Magda wanted.’
Sheana, watching Isla’s face, smiled.
‘Anyway, that’s the story, Isla, and I thought you should know, seeing as it’s time you enjoyed getting your own back on Doctor Revie!’
But Isla was shaking her head. ‘I’ve got to go, Sheana. I’m late already for Mrs Noble.’
‘Oh, but, Isla, aren’t you interested in hearing about his downfall? I thought you’d be thrilled!’
‘It doesn’t help me,’ Isla said slowly, ‘that he’s been given the push by Magda. He doesn’t care for her the way I cared for him.’
‘But his vanity’s been hurt – that’s what counts! You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t take a bit of satisfaction in that.’
‘Maybe I do.’ Isla heaved a great sigh. ‘All I want is to be free of him altogether. But thanks, Sheana, for giving me the news; it’s good of you to think of me. Now, I’ve got to run.’
‘We all think of you!’ Sheana cried after her.
And Isla, hurrying to Mrs Noble’s door, found her heart suddenly lifting. Thank goodness she’d followed Mark’s advice, she decided, and stayed on at the hydro. For, excluding Grant Revie, who had his own problems, it seemed she was among friends.
Forty-Five
To be among friends. That was good, and it certainly helped in what Isla was now regarding as her convalescence – in other words, her ‘getting over’ Grant Revie. Of course, things would be better if he weren’t around, but as there was no possibility of that, she’d learned to keep out of his way, or, if that wasn’t possible, to be polite and seem indifferent. Did it help that he’d lost some of his self-confidence after Magda had turned him down? Seemed, in fact, to be not quite the charmer he’d been? Not really, for as she’d said to Sheana, all she wanted was to be free of him, and there seemed no prospect of that.
Then, suddenly, he was gone.
It was a morning in November, grey and misty, the hills out of sight, leafless trees around the hydro dripping moisture, spiders’ webs stretched on shrubs like pieces of damp, intricate lace.
‘Oh, how I hate November!’ cried Ellie, as the staff hurried into the treatment rooms to begin work.
‘At least, it’s warm in here—’ Sheana was beginning, when silence suddenly fell on the nurses. Sister Francis had arrived and, with her, not only Dr Revie but Dr Lorne and the tall, bony figure of Dr Morgan who covered for the medical staff when required.
‘What’s going on?’ Sheana whispered, but Sister Francis had already stepped forward to make an announcement. ‘Please listen, everyone! Doctor Lorne would like to speak to you before you begin work.’ She turned. ‘Doctor Lorne?’
‘Thank you, Sister.’
Appearing his usual calm self, the director let his gaze move over the watching faces before him and slightly raised his hand.
‘Sad news, I’m afraid. I have to tell you that Doctor Revie will be leaving us today. Perhaps not permanently, but he will of course be a great loss. Fortunately, Doctor Morgan has agreed to take his place for the time being.’
With a brief smile, Dr Lorne turned to Dr Morgan, who politely bowed his head, while the nurses tried to conceal their gasps as their eyes moved to Dr Revie, standing a little apart. Tall and elegant in a dark suit, over which he wore no white coat, he now moved forward, his blue eyes still bright, though his face was strained. At Dr Lorne’s request for him to speak, he immediately agreed.
‘Certainly, Doctor Lorne, I’m glad to be able to tell the staff here how very sorry I am to be leaving the hydro, and how I hope I may be able to return one day. The sad news is that my father has been taken seriously ill and I’m needed in Glasgow, not to run his practice which will be in the charge of his partner, but to manage my father’s care. As it happens, I’ve just been offered the temporary post of director of a nursing home, which I’ve accepted, as it will be convenient for me to see to my father from there.’
Here, Doctor Revie paused and gave a short sigh before continuing, ‘You’ll understand that I’m anxious to move to Glasgow as quickly as possible, and Doctor Lorne has been very kind in releasing me so soon. But I’ll just say again how sorry I am to be leaving Lorne’s and all my colleagues. May I thank you for all your cooperation, and wish you the very best for the future.’
At first, no one spoke and there was a slight awkwardness, until Dr Lorne expressed thanks to Dr Revie, after which Sister Francis hastily said a few words.
‘We’re all so sorry to hear about your father, Doctor Revie, and quite understand that you want to be near him. As Doctor Lorne said, you will be greatly missed, but we hope all goes well and that you’ll be able to return to Lorne’s in the future.’
‘Thank you, Sister Francis,’ Dr Revie replied gravely. ‘You’re very kind.’
‘And now, we welcome you, Doctor Morgan,’ she said, turning to him. ‘So good of you to help us.’
‘Indeed,’ added Doctor Lorne, turning to leave. ‘Doctor Morgan, if you’d like to accompany me to my office, we can finalize things. Doctor Revie, we’ll leave you to say goodbye. You’ll see me before you go?’
‘Of course, Doctor Lorne.’
As soon as the two older doctors had left, Dr Revie, with a smile that revived some of his old charm, shook hands with Sister Francis and every one of the nurses, even Isla, who turned quite white as she felt his hand in hers. She could feel his gaze on her, though she had already lowered her eyes, and wished with all her heart that she need not have allowed him to take her hand. But what could she have done? To be the only one not to shake his hand would have marked her out in a way that would have been upsetting, and at least this goodbye would mark the end of him at the hydro for some time to come.
After he’d left them, she said as much to Sheana when they were making their way to the pool room, but Sheana only snorted with laughter.
‘Oh, you’re right, Isla, we won’t be seeing him again any time soon, if ever. As for all that stuff he was spouting, I don’t believe a word of it!’
‘Why, what do you mean, Sheana?’
‘I’d bet any money there’s nothing wrong with his dad at all. He’s just cooked up the story as the perfect excuse to make Doctor Lorne let him go to another job, even though he’s only been in this one for five minutes. And don’t worry about him coming back – as I say, I don’t think we’ll ever see him again.’
Sheana, smiling triumphantly, clapped Isla on the back. ‘You’ll see, that’ll be the truth of it, Isla.’
‘I don’t believe it, Sheana. I don’t believe even Grant Revie would pretend his father was ill just to get away from here. He’s very fond of his family; he’d never tell lies about them.’
‘Oh, Isla, Isla! Shows how much you know about people, eh?’
‘I know about Grant. I’ll never forgive him for the way he dumped me, but I don’t think he’d do what you’re suggesting.’
‘At least, you’ll be glad if he doesn’t come back?’
A broad smile gradually lit up Isla’s face and she heaved a long deep sigh of relief. ‘Too right, I’ll be glad,’ she said softly, and as she went to find her patient, for the first time since Grant had given her up, she felt her burden of unrequited love and raw, painful regret lift from her shoulders and leave her free. So euphoric did this make her feel that she was inclined to believe that from then on everything would
be fine – for her, for Boyd, for everyone. Oh, what a pleasant feeling that gave her!
Not for long, however.
Trying out a new café in the High Street, one lunchtime, she and Ellie were browsing the menu of soups, snacks on toast and sandwiches when a waiter came sauntering over to their table.
‘Ready to order?’ he asked throatily, and Isla, at once recognizing the voice, looked up with dread straight into the dark, hostile eyes of Damon Duthie.
Forty-Six
He recognized them, of course, but made no sign, even when Ellie, not fully aware of what his return might mean, pleasantly smiled at him as she gave him her order of soup and eggs on toast. When he turned to Isla, keeping his eyes on his note pad, she took a deep breath and spoke his name.
‘Damon?’
He scribbled something on his pad, before slowly looking up, still avoiding her face.
‘Yes?’
‘How come you’re back in Edgemuir? You wanted to get away, didn’t you?’
‘I’ve a right to move back if I like.’
‘Oh, sure, but seemingly you’ve changed your mind.’
He leaned forward, his eyes taking on that fiery look she remembered too well.
‘Listen, if you think I’ve come back to see that precious brother of yours, you can forget it. I’m not going to see him. I never want to see him again – ever! That clear?’
‘Perfectly,’ she answered, swallowing hard, while Ellie nervously looked on.
‘So, what do you want to eat?’ he asked, straightening up.
‘Isla, we can go somewhere else,’ Ellie whispered, but Isla shook her head.
‘It’s all right; we’re here now, might as well stay. Damon, I’ll have the same as Ellie, please. Soup and eggs on toast.’
Without speaking again, he stalked away as the two young women exchanged glances.
‘Isla, shall we have to give him a tip?’ asked Ellie, but Isla vehemently shook her head.
