to seeing you at King's Road and will give you a ring. . .I'm so glad to have met you.'
It was a subtle and final ending.
Emma hurried into Caley's, her heart thumping; an awareness that she had said the wrong thing bringing a miserable sense of injustice. Adam's words, 'That is a situation I have set myself to cure', stung. His persistence, just then, added to the wretchedness of Irene's condition about which, Emma told herself, nothing could be done.
She shopped without being aware of half her purchases and when it came to going to see Emily, she felt too dispirited to make the effort which would mean going over the past months and reliving much that she preferred to forget. She found herself saying, 'Damn Adam!' What was there about him that roused her to such fury and made her feel as if a lump of lead had been dropped in her stomach and a fluttering bird in her heart?
She took longer over her shopping than was necessary, had a cup of coffee at Daniel's in Peascod Street, sitting staring into space as she reflected on life generally and her own in particular, and then set off for home. By this time she had told herself that she would never again allow Adam to annoy her. He was Irene's doctor and that was all there was to it. Anyway, she might not be seeing him for a little while and as for going to have a meal with him and Ruth. . .pleasant though she was, she would certainly not get mixed up with them. She managed to convince herself that Adam was merely a name that she would not allow to have any influence in her life.
But when she reached home, to her astonishment his car was parked outside the house. . .
CHAPTER FOUR
Emma realised that her returning home early would emphasise the fact to Adam that she had deliberately avoided having lunch with him and his sister. When she went into the sitting-room it was to hear him and Marion talking like old friends, Irene listening. The conversation stopped abruptly as she appeared and Irene cried joyfully, 'You're back. . . didn't you go to see Emily?'
Adam, watching Emma closely, saw a faint flush rise to her cheeks and his gaze held hers disconcertingly as he exclaimed, 'Emma is very elusive!'
He was aware of her unease as she replied, 'No, most likely she would be working.' She looked at Adam almost challengingly, 'I didn't realise you would be here.' The tone was uncompromising.
Was that, Adam asked himself, her tacit way of telling him that, had she known, she would have delayed her return? He ignored her words and said easily, 'Mrs Foster and I find that we have friends in common and she has met Judy Meyhew.'
He gave the latter statement, Emma thought, emphasis, as though anyone who knew Judy Meyhew was of special importance, and his use of the forename brought an intimacy.
Irene spoke up. 'Dr Meyhew seems to be very popular.'
Adam didn't hesitate.
'She is.' He said the words enthusiastically, adding warmly, 'I'm very lucky to have her.'
Emma noticed that he did not use the plural, as would have been normal, she argued, since Dr Meyhew was also Dr Bryant's partner. It irritated her that she should even notice the fact.
Irene flashed Emma a meaning glance and Emma was reminded of Irene's challenge about her feelings for. Adam, much to her discomfort. Irene was sitting relaxed and smiling, her world intact because Emma was home early. She would not have to watch the clock and worry in case she might be late, which was a remote possibility.
Adam assessed this and felt that he must not be sidetracked from his plan of campaign as Irene's doctor. He said deliberately, looking from face to face, 'We must all get together at our home in King's Road. Ruth, my sister,' he added to Marion, 'would love it. . . Do you happen to know the Knights? Paul Knight would very much like to become my brother-in-law. He's an accountant, by the way.'
Marion exclaimed, 'And my father's accountant, strangely enough!' Her voice was light.
Emma felt a certain irritation. Adam's
It was a subtle and final ending.
Emma hurried into Caley's, her heart thumping; an awareness that she had said the wrong thing bringing a miserable sense of injustice. Adam's words, 'That is a situation I have set myself to cure', stung. His persistence, just then, added to the wretchedness of Irene's condition about which, Emma told herself, nothing could be done.
She shopped without being aware of half her purchases and when it came to going to see Emily, she felt too dispirited to make the effort which would mean going over the past months and reliving much that she preferred to forget. She found herself saying, 'Damn Adam!' What was there about him that roused her to such fury and made her feel as if a lump of lead had been dropped in her stomach and a fluttering bird in her heart?
She took longer over her shopping than was necessary, had a cup of coffee at Daniel's in Peascod Street, sitting staring into space as she reflected on life generally and her own in particular, and then set off for home. By this time she had told herself that she would never again allow Adam to annoy her. He was Irene's doctor and that was all there was to it. Anyway, she might not be seeing him for a little while and as for going to have a meal with him and Ruth. . .pleasant though she was, she would certainly not get mixed up with them. She managed to convince herself that Adam was merely a name that she would not allow to have any influence in her life.
But when she reached home, to her astonishment his car was parked outside the house. . .
CHAPTER FOUR
Emma realised that her returning home early would emphasise the fact to Adam that she had deliberately avoided having lunch with him and his sister. When she went into the sitting-room it was to hear him and Marion talking like old friends, Irene listening. The conversation stopped abruptly as she appeared and Irene cried joyfully, 'You're back. . . didn't you go to see Emily?'
Adam, watching Emma closely, saw a faint flush rise to her cheeks and his gaze held hers disconcertingly as he exclaimed, 'Emma is very elusive!'
He was aware of her unease as she replied, 'No, most likely she would be working.' She looked at Adam almost challengingly, 'I didn't realise you would be here.' The tone was uncompromising.
Was that, Adam asked himself, her tacit way of telling him that, had she known, she would have delayed her return? He ignored her words and said easily, 'Mrs Foster and I find that we have friends in common and she has met Judy Meyhew.'
He gave the latter statement, Emma thought, emphasis, as though anyone who knew Judy Meyhew was of special importance, and his use of the forename brought an intimacy.
Irene spoke up. 'Dr Meyhew seems to be very popular.'
Adam didn't hesitate.
'She is.' He said the words enthusiastically, adding warmly, 'I'm very lucky to have her.'
Emma noticed that he did not use the plural, as would have been normal, she argued, since Dr Meyhew was also Dr Bryant's partner. It irritated her that she should even notice the fact.
Irene flashed Emma a meaning glance and Emma was reminded of Irene's challenge about her feelings for. Adam, much to her discomfort. Irene was sitting relaxed and smiling, her world intact because Emma was home early. She would not have to watch the clock and worry in case she might be late, which was a remote possibility.
Adam assessed this and felt that he must not be sidetracked from his plan of campaign as Irene's doctor. He said deliberately, looking from face to face, 'We must all get together at our home in King's Road. Ruth, my sister,' he added to Marion, 'would love it. . . Do you happen to know the Knights? Paul Knight would very much like to become my brother-in-law. He's an accountant, by the way.'
Marion exclaimed, 'And my father's accountant, strangely enough!' Her voice was light.
Emma felt a certain irritation. Adam's
Similar Books
