Journey's End Read Online Free Page A

remained seated.
    The door inchedopen and a smiling face peeped in at her; with his cheeky grin and that ridiculous cap of thick brown hair, the doctor looked far younger than his early thirties. ‘Am I all right to come in?’ he asked gingerly. ‘Or am I likely to get my head chopped off at dawn?’ He knew Lucy well by now, and was aware that his visits were unpopular.
    Lucy laughed and the atmosphere eased. ‘I’m not that much ofan ogre, am I?’ she asked, shame-facedly.
    ‘There are those who might argue the point.’ Straightening his shoulders, he pushed open the door and sauntered in.
    Lucy asked him pointedly, ‘You’re not about to put me through the grinder, are you?’
    He took a deep breath. ‘I’ll do whatever’s necessary to satisfy myself that you haven’t been overdoing it.’ He peeked at her with suspicion. ‘And haveyou?’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Been overdoing it?’
    ‘I don’t think so.’ Lucy hoped he would leave before coming into contact with Elsie, who was certain to have her say on the matter.
    ‘Mmm.’ Slowly nodding his head, he made that peculiar sound that some doctors make when they’re not quite sure what to say. ‘Mmm … ah.’
    ‘You don’t believe me, do you?’
    ‘I don’t know what to think.’ He ventured forward. ‘Andif I don’t believe you, it’s no one’s fault but your own.’
    ‘What do you mean by that?’
    ‘I mean, I need you to be honest, but sometimes you tell me one thing and do another. How am I supposed to know if you’re following my instructions when you won’t tell me the truth?’
    ‘Huh!’ Lucy couldn’t help but like him. ‘So now I’m a liar, am I?’
    Fearing he might have got on the wrong side of her, hesuggested meekly, ‘I’m sorry, Lucy, that is not what I meant at all. Perhaps we should forget the conversation so far and start again, what do you think?’
    Lucy smiled her sweetest. ‘I think that’s an excellent idea.’
    With a twinkle in his eye, he made the smallest bow and to Lucy’s amusement, greeted her with a bright, ‘Good morning, Mrs Davidson.’
    ‘Good morning, Doctor Nolan.’ Bright as abutton, Lucy’s quick smile betrayed her enjoyment. ‘How very nice to see you,’ she lied beautifully.
    Placing the big black bag on the bedside table, Dr Nolan opened it and took out his stethoscope. ‘And how are you today?’
    ‘I’m fine, thank you, Doctor.’ Unbuttoning the top of her blouse, Lucy prepared herself for the shock of the cold stethoscope against her skin.
    ‘Have you anything to report?’he asked gently.
    ‘No, nothing.’ Sensing the game was over she replied in serious tone, ‘Everything is just the same as it was the last time you were here.’ She was determined not to reveal how her arm still hurt like the devil after trying to shift that heavy cleaner out of the cupboard, for which Elsie had rightfully given her a scolding.
    ‘So, no aches or pains then?’ He proceeded to examineher, discreetly ignoring Lucy’s visible shudder as the cold receptacle pressed against the flat of her chest.
    Lucy shook her head. ‘No more than usual,’ she answered. ‘There are times when my joints feel as though they’ve locked together, and other times when I feel I can carry the world.’
    ‘No change there then?’ he said, concentrating now on the job in hand of checking her blood pressure.
    ‘Not really, no.’ She laughed out loud. ‘I was flattered this morning when Elsie accused me of being ambitious enough to take down curtains, and clean all the windows.’ She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. ‘Those days are long gone, more’s the pity.’
    Lucy remembered the time when she could throw a pitchfork of hay on top of a wagon, or carry an injured lamb on her shoulders, but that was in anotherlife. If she could bring it all back, she would. But it was gone, all but in her sorry heart.
    A few moments later, after a thorough examination, the doctor put away his instruments and closed the