Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 816 by Angharad

The cook made me a tuna salad and with a fresh bread roll, it went down a treat. Despite her juvenile behaviour, Stella, with Tom’s help had looked after the girls while I did my Dr Kildare bit.

In truth, without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to try and help Sir George. So it should really be seen as a team effort. All I wanted to do was go to my bed and I was yawning as the others made conversation around the dining table.

I was nicely nodding off, my head resting on my hand on the table, when one of the house staff disturbed me, “Lady Cameron, could you come with me please?”

“Uh?” I popped open my eyes. He repeated his request. “Yeah sure, sorry I nodded off.” The man, who told me he was Paul Restorick, was Sir George’s secretary. He led me off down the corridor to a reception room. A few minutes later, he brought in a man

“This is Dr Robinson, Sir George’s doctor.” We shook hands briefly.

“I called by expecting to have received a call from Lady Hilary, long since to say Sir George had died. He hasn’t.”

“That’s good to hear.” Well what else was I supposed to say?

“I’m told you spent some hours in his room today.”

“Did I?”

“What did you do to him? When I left him this morning he was practically breathing his last–I expected to be called back to certify his death so the undertaker could collect the body. I’m told both he and Lady Hilary are sleeping peacefully, and that he looks much better.”

“I didn’t do anything to him.”

“Well somebody must have, people don’t just spontaneously heal from a massive myocardial infarct. It damages the heart too much.”

“I wouldn’t know,” I played dumb.

“You’re a biologist or something aren’t you?”

“Why do you think that?”

“I’m sure I saw you on the telly on some nature documentary, it isn’t my bag, but there was nothing else on.”

“I’m glad you have such a high opinion of my efforts.”

“It was actually better than the average Attenborough, so I was surprisingly pleased by it.”

I wanted to say, ‘whoopee doo’ but resisted the temptation, he was already categorising me as a white witch or similar, so I didn’t want to wind him up too much. “I try my best,” I said feeling an obligation to respond to his back handed compliment.

“I enjoyed it.”

I nodded my understanding of his comment, but felt no further conversation was necessary. I turned to leave the room.

“Excuse me, you haven’t answered my question,” the doctor insisted.

“Which question was that?” I feigned forgetfulness.

“What did you do to Sir George?”

“I told you–I did nothing.”

“So what were you doing with him for so long?”

“It’s okay, I wasn’t having sex with him, if that’s what you think?”

He blushed. “Stop treating me like a fool, you must have done something or he’d be dead by now and he isn’t.”

“That would be a cause for celebration by most doctors, their patient not dying. Obviously, you have a different take on things.”

“When someone who should be dead but isn’t, and instead appears to be sleeping normally–I’d like to know why?”

“Sorry, I’m not the one to talk to, I did nothing but hold vigil for his wife, who was absolutely traumatised.”

“No one gave him any drugs or anything else while you were there?”

“Not while I was there, although I did possibly nod off at one point.” It was true, I hadn’t given him anything except TLC.

“Why don’t I believe you?” he glared at me.

“That’s your problem.”

“I suspect the tabloids would be interested in this story,” he said loudly, “Woman aristocrat–TV nature programme star–helps MI5 leader’s mysterious recovery.”

“It’s all speculation, and wouldn’t they be just as interested in, “Secret service boss charges ex-physician with breach of confidence.”

“You wouldn’t dare?”

“Try me,” I glared back at him.

We were eyeing each other up like two gladiators when the secretary reappeared with Lady Hilary. “Hello John, Catherine; I see you two have met.”

“Yes, Hilary, I’m delighted to meet your guest. I called by to see how George is, I was half expecting you to call me,” the doctor said with mock sincerity.

“I see. So why are you talking with Catherine and not me?”

“I’d heard you were resting and that she had spent a long time with Sir George today.”

“I was trying to explain how I sat in vigil with him to give you respite,” I interjected, hoping Hilary would get the message.

“Indeed you did, Catherine, and much appreciated it was, too. That George seemed to improve during that time is a miracle.”

“I should like to examine him, if that’s okay?” asked Robinson.

“But of course, John, he’s sleeping but I’m sure he’d be happy for you to see him.”

“I have an ECG machine with me in the car, I used it this morning. I’d like to compare it with now and to see how he’s improved.”

“If you don’t need me, Hilary, I’ll get back to Simon and Tom.” I excused myself.

“Of course, Cathy.” I left them and returned to the dining room.

“What did they want?” asked Stella.

“That was a Dr Robinson, George’s doctor who is wondering why he isn’t signing a death certificate.”

“Oh, what will you do?”

“What can I do, wait and see what he makes of it. He threatened to inform a tabloid paper.”

“Just what you need, Babes,” added Simon.

“I counter threatened with reporting him for breach of confidentiality. He could get struck off.”

“You could get exposed as the secret healer,” said Stella, “I see now why you were so reluctant.”

“There were all sorts of reasons why I was reluctant, that was only one of them.”

“Is he going to survive?”

“George or the quack?” I asked.

“George–the quack is irrelevant.”

“I wish I felt that way.” I sat down opposite Simon and he poured me a glass of wine.

“I think we have enough friends in high places to make his life very difficult if he tries anything.”

“It’s our friends in low places, who are most frightening–but aren’t you forgetting your biggest ally here–Hilary. You’ve not long ago saved the apple of her eye–she’s hardly going to drop you in it, is she?” Henry had a point.

“I suppose we’ll have to wait and see,” I said and sipped my drink.