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."No, come in, Bryony.This is Dr.William Redfern.I'veasked him to take a look at you and Simon before we leave Sydney."Bryony looked from St.John to the pleasant-faced man of about thirty, then back at St.John again.In the warm light of the afternoon sun, his face looked surprisingly relaxed.He wasactually smiling at her, but Bryony recognized that smile.It was the same smile she usedherself when she was trying to coax a child or a particularly slow-witted servant to dosomething they didn't want to do.To have that look bent on her was both humiliating andinfuriating."I'll wait for you in the coffee room downstairs." He nodded to the doctor, and before shehad a chance to say anything, he closed the door behind him.Bryony glanced back at the doctor, who by now had risen also and was standing besidethe table."Well," he said."Let's start with Simon, shall we?"Simon was awake.He suffered the exchange of arms quietly enough, but when the doctorunwrapped him and laid him on the hard table, he began to whimper."Hush, now, little one," said the doctor with a soft Irish lilt."You remember me, don'tyou?" He kept talking in that same low, soothing voice as he loosened the baby's clothes,his exploring hands gentle, until Simon quieted and lay staring up at the doctor withwide, guileless green eyes.Bryony stood back from the table, her arms crossed at her chest, watching the doctor insilence.But as her respect for him grew, she stepped closer."Is he all right?" she asked."He seems so small for four months.""He was born early." Dr.Redfern glanced up at her."That accounts for part of it.Butthen his mother was an unusually tiny woman.Simon here may well take after Laura."Laura.For the first time, Hayden St.John's golden-haired wife had a name."Were you there when.when Simon was born?" She'd almost said, when Laura St.Johndied."No." He rolled the baby gently over onto his stomach."The Captain had intended tobring her into Sydney, but there wasn't time." He paused a moment as if consideringsomething, then said, "Laura St.John was an unusually beautiful, gentle woman.A truelady, in every sense of the word.I think her death affected all of us who knew her.Butthe Captain, he.well, it changed him somehow." He looked up and met her eyes."I'mtelling you this for a reason, you see.Hayden St.John has always been a hard man, butsince Laura died.Let's just say it wouldn't do to cross him.Especially not where Simonis concerned."Bryony remembered the feel of Hayden St John's hands around her neck, threatening tothrottle her.Dr.Redfern straightened up and smiled."Sure Simon's looking much better.When I sawhim a few days ago, I wouldn't have given much for his chances of surviving anotherforty-eight hours.You've obviously taken good care of him.""He was just hungry.""Yes.But I can tell you also keep him clean.It makes a difference." He began to refastenthe baby's wrappings."It's easy to keep a baby clean when you have fresh clothes for him.And water to washhim with," she added bitterly.The doctor's hands stilled for a moment.He glanced up at her, his gray eyes gentle andcaring."I'm sorry about your own babe," he said softly.She knew he meant it, and ittouched her so much that sudden tears stung her eyes and she had to blink them away.Picking Simon up, Dr.Redfern carried him over to the cradle and laid him down.Then heturned."Now, let's have a look at you, shall we?"He peered in her eyes and her ears, and then had her open her mouth so that he could lookat her teeth."No sign of scurvy," he said approvingly."You must have had an honest ship's captain.When I was sent out, half the men on my ship were shark bait before we'd even roundedthe Cape.But sure the captain made a good profit when he got to Sydney and was able tosell all those leftover supplies we were never allowed to eat."Bryony stared at him."You were transported?"He gave her an odd smile."When you're a doctor, and you're Irish, you need to be veryselective about whose broken bodies you try to mend.""But.you're not still a convict, are you?""Oh, no.I'm a free man now." He turned away to reach for something in his bag."Then, why.why are you still here?" For Bryony, obsessed as she was with the idea ofmaking it back to Cornwall and Madeline, the thought of someone willingly choosing tostay here was incomprehensible.'Is your pardon conditional?""No, I could go back if I wanted to.But I like it here.It's." He searched for the word,then grinned."Freer.Besides, I'm needed here [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]