The Stranger Came (36 page)

'It's
something
that
has
to
be
decided
at
once.’
Her
father
would
say
good
lies
are
built
out
of
as
much
of
the
truth
as
you
can
use.
'The
Trust
is
taking
a
party
of
patients
to
the
theatre
as
a
holiday
treat.
It
happens
every
year
apparently.’

'And
something's
come
up?
You
have
an
emergency?'

'Patients
from
the
hospital
the
original
Gregory
worked
in,'
she
offered
as
if
that
was
an
answer.

'He
was
a
surgeon,'
he
said,
having
the
academic's requirement
to
share
what
he
knew.

'It's
a
different
kind
of
hospital
now.
Professor
Ure's
father-in-law
worked
there
as
a
psychiatrist.’

'And
do
you
go
with
them?
As part
of
your
duties?'

'They
have
helpers.
People
volunteer.
But,
yes,
I'll
be
going.
The
secretary,
Mrs
Stewart,
is
very
keen.
It's
not
like
a
job
to
her –
more
like
a
…
'

'Vocation,'
he
finished
for
her.
A
boy
in
her
seminar
group
when
he
had
a
paper
to
read
hesitated
so
often
and
so
skilfully
that
Wilson
plugged
every
gap
in
his
preparation,
and
never
seemed
to
notice.
'All
the
same
–
the
holiday
season –
I
shouldn't
think
she
could
insist
on
your
going.’

'I
don't
mind.
I
expect
it'll
be
enormous
fun.’

'Wonderful
to
be
young,'
he
said,
and
she
thought
he
was
laughing
at
her.
In
her
own
ears,
her
foolish
voice
rang
bright,
enormously
bright.
'Life
begins
at
forty.
Isn't that
what
they
say?'
As
if
it
could
matter
to
her
what
age
he
was,
the
little
pompous
creature.
'As
a
new
arrival,
I'm
perfectly
willing
to
find
it
so.’

She
stared
out
to
the
curve
of
road
above
the
loch
where a
car
would
first
come
into
sight.

'
Perhaps
you're
here
to
persuade
Professor
Ure?'

'Persuade
him?'

But
that
was
too
shrill.
He
looked
at
her
shrewdly.
'To
go
on
your
theatrical
outing.
Where
are
you
taking
them for
entertainment –
your
unfortunates
?
'

'This
year
it's
to
be
the
Palace.’

'That
great
barn!
Isn't
it
used
now
only
for
pop
concerts?
All
those
young
things
squealing
and
getting
themselves
overexcited.
Would
your
sort
enjoy
that
kind
of
thing?'

Would
Maitland never come
?
She
forced
herself
to
find
something
to
say.
'It's
very
seasonal.
Not
a
pop
concert.
A
kind
of
variety
show –
singers,
jugglers,
a
comedian,
I
suppose.
The
second
half
of
the
show
is
all
the
Great
Sovek.
It
was
that
or
a
pantomime
–
and
they
voted
for
a
change.’

He
shook
his
head.
'You'll
never
persuade
him.
I'd
give
up
if
I
was
you.
Professor
Ure
and
the
Great
Sovek
–
not
forgetting
the
jugglers,
and
a
comedian,
you
suppose!'

It
could only be by accident he sounded sardonic. Everyone knew he worshipped Maitland
.

'But
he
does
go!
…So
Mrs
Stewart
tells
me.’

'It'll
be
because
of
his
wife.
People
who
live
in
villages
tend
to
develop
the
Lady
Bountiful
thing.
You
know
they
live
in
a
village?
Lovely
view
of
the
hills.’
Without
altering
his
tone,
he
went
on,
'You're
having
a
long
wait.
Perhaps
he
isn't
going
to
come.’

As
he
said
this,
he
checked
the
time,
not
by
glancing
at
his
wristwatch
or
turning
to
look
at
the
clock
on
the
wall,
but
by
looking
up
to
where
its
image
was
reflected
in
the
glass
against
the
darkening
sky.
As
she
followed
his
gaze,
the
minute
hand
tugged
forward
as
if
to
pull
her
bound
by
the
wrists
towards
whatever
was
in
wait
for
her.

'I
can't
see
that
he's
going
to
come
now,'
Sam
Wilson
said,
and
she
was
ready
to
believe
him
except
that
like
a
burly
miracle
a
thick-set
man
in
the
grey
uniform
of
the
security
staff
appeared.
'Miss
Lindgren?
...
I was
asked
to
check
if
you
were
still
here.
Professor
Ure
sends
his
apologies
for
being
so
late.
He
is
on
his
way.’

'I
was
on
the
point
of
offering
you
a
coffee,'
Sam
Wilson
said.
'Or
something
stronger
–
with
it
being
the
festive
season.’

'There
wouldn't
be
time,
not
since
he
is
coming.’