Читать книгу Reunited: A Miracle Marriage - Judy Campbell, Judy Campbell - Страница 9

JACK tapped his pencil morosely on the desk, scowling unseeingly at the screen showing the list of patients he was to see that morning. What the hell did Sally see in Tim Langley? How could she have become engaged to him? Oh, he was probably a decent man, but he was at heart obviously someone mainly interested in business and commercial deals—did Sally really want to live in that sort of city world, where her husband’s consuming interest was financial matters? Someone whose first concern was the deal he’d just pulled off and not concern for his fiancée’s physical well-being after getting soaking wet in freezing waters?

A rueful grin lifted Jack’s expression for a second. He’d certainly hit a nerve with Sally when he’d dared to hint that Tim Langley was less than perfect! He’d quite enjoyed doing that! But he realised that that sort of little episode wasn’t going to make for a good working relationship with Sally, and whatever he felt about her fiancé he ought to keep his mouth shut in future. It was, Jack reflected wryly, the little green monster of jealousy that was getting to him. Sally had every right to choose who she wanted to get married to.

He sighed. This job was going to be a bitter-sweet experience, for even if they had no future together, being near Sally made him feel more vitally alive than he had for six years.

He pressed the button to admit the first patient. If he was going to do this job properly he had to bury his personal feelings. He couldn’t start his first day at the practice fulminating over a man like Tim Langley.

‘Mr Angus Knightley?’ he said pleasantly to the man who came in. ‘I’m the locum here for a few weeks—Jack McLennan.’

Mr Knightley walked over slowly to the desk. He would have looked quite imposing but for his stooping gait and a general fragility marked by his grey complexion and dark shadows under his eyes.

He lowered himself gingerly onto the chair in front of the desk, and remarked, ‘Oh, I know all about you, Doctor, and what happened this morning—saving Callum Brody from a watery grave! You’re a celebrity around here now!’

‘News travels fast,’ remarked Jack with amusement. ‘How did you know all that?’

‘My daughter told me.’

‘Your daughter?’ asked Jack, puzzled.

Angus Knightley smiled proudly. ‘The lass at Reception—Sharon. She helps that dragon of a woman, Joyce. The practice couldn’t do without Sharon! She told me the other day that a man was going to do a locum job here, so I thought it would be an opportunity to have myself looked at. It’s about time they had a man in the practice at last—much more satisfactory!’ Then he added hastily, ‘Not that I’ve anything against women doctors, of course!’

Jack raised a quizzical brow. ‘Of course not! I hope I can help. Tell me what the trouble is.’

He waited patiently as Mr Knightley cleared his throat and took a deep breath, as if psyching himself up to explain his symptoms. ‘The…the thing is…’ He stuttered a little and then said in a rush, ‘It’s very embarrassing, Doctor. I couldn’t have let Dr Cornwell or Dr Lawson examine me…’

How often does that happen? thought Jack wryly. So many people put their embarrassment and fear before their health and then suffered the consequences of a late diagnosis. He was well used to patients’ diffidence.

‘Now you’ve managed to get yourself here, don’t miss the opportunity to tell me,’ he prompted gently.

Another silence as Angus grappled with the need to explain his problem and the indignity of revealing it, then he said awkwardly, ‘Trouble with the…er, rear end, you know. It’s damned painful.’

‘You mean haemorrhoids?’ Jack asked sympathetically. No wonder the man looked terrible. Although piles were the subject of much cruel humour, they were amongst the most painful of common conditions. ‘How long have you been suffering with them?’