九味书屋 > 文学经管电子书 > jamesclavell.noblehouse >

第91部分

jamesclavell.noblehouse-第91部分

小说: jamesclavell.noblehouse 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 〃He won't。〃
 〃Have you seen Phillip today?〃
 〃Phillip Chen? No; why?〃
 〃Nothing。〃
 〃Why?〃
 〃Bumped into him at the track。 He seemed 。。。 well; he looked awful and very distraught。 He's taking John's 。。。 he's taking the kidnapping very badly。〃
 〃Wouldn't you?〃
 〃Yes。 Yes I would。 But I didn't think he and his Number One Son were that close。〃
 Dunross thought about Adryon and Glenna and his son Duncan who was fifteen and on holiday on a friend's sheep station in Australia。 What would I do if one of them were kidnapped? What would I do if a mutilated ear came through the mails at me like that?
 I'd go mad。
 I'd go mad with rage。 I'd forget everything else and I'd hunt down the kidnappers and then; and then my vengeance would last a thousand years。 I'd 。。。
 There was a knock on the door。 〃Yes? Oh hello; Kathy;〃 he said; happy as always to see his younger sister。
 〃Sorry to interrupt; Ian dear;〃 Kathy Gavallan said in a rush from the door to his office; 〃but Claudia said you had a few minutes before your next appointment。 Is it all right?〃
 〃 'Course it's all right;〃 he said with a laugh; and put aside the memo he was working on。
 〃Oh good; thanks。〃 She closed the door and sat in the high chair that was near the window。
 He stretched to ease the ache in his back and grinned at her。 〃Hey; I like your hat。〃 It was pale straw with a yellow band that matched her cool…looking silk dress。 〃What's up?〃
 〃I've got multiple sclerosis。〃
 He stared at her blankly。 〃What?〃
 〃That's what the tests say。 The doctor told me yesterday but yesterday I couldn't tell you or 。。。 Today he checked the tests with another specialist and there's no mistake。〃 Her voice was calm and her face calm and she sat upright in the chair; looking prettier than he had ever seen her。 〃I had to tell someone。 Sorry to say it so suddenly。 I thought you could help me make a plan; not today; but when you've time; perhaps over the weekend。 。。。〃 She saw his expression and she laughed nervously。 〃It's not as bad as that。 I think。〃
 Dunross sat back in his big leather chair and fought to get his shocked mind working。 〃Multiple 。。。 that's dicey; isn't it?〃
 〃Yes。 Yes it is。 Apparently it's something that attacks your nervous system that they can't cure yet。 They don't know what it is or where or how you 。。。 how you get it。〃
 〃We'll get other specialists。 No; even better; you go to England with Penn。 There'd be specialists there or in Europe。 There's got to be some form of cure; Kathy; got to be!〃
 〃There isn't; dear。 But England is a good idea。 I'm 。。。 Dr。 Tooley said he'd like me to see a Harley Street specialist for treatment。 I'd love to go with Penn。 I'm not too advanced and there's nothing to be too concerned about; if I'm careful。〃
 〃Meaning?〃
 〃Meaning that if I take care of myself; take their medication; nap in the afternoon to stop getting tired; I'll still be able to take care of Andrew and the house and the children and play a little tennis and golf occasionally; but only one round in the mornings。 You see; they can arrest the disease but they can't repair the damage already done so far。 He said if I don't take care of myself and rest … it's rest mostly he said … if I don't rest; it will start up again and then each time you go down a plateau。 Yes。 And then you can never get back up again。 Do you see; dear?〃
 He stared at her; keeping his agony for her bottled。 His heart was grinding in his chest and he had eight plans for her and he thought Oh Christ poor Kathy! 〃Yes。 Well; thank God you can rest all you want;〃 he said; keeping his voice calm like hers。 〃Do you mind if I talk to Tooley?〃
 〃I think that would be all right。 There's no need to be alarmed; Ian。 He said I'd be all right if I took care of myself; and I told him I'd be ever so good so he needn't have any worries on that score。〃 Kathy was surprised that her voice was calm and her hands and fingers rested in her lap so easily; betraying none of the horror she felt within。 She could almost feel the disease bugs or microbes or viruses seeping through her system; feeding on her nerves; eating them away oh so slowly; second by second hour by hour until there would be more tingling and more numbness in her fingers and her toes; then her wrists and ankles and legs and and and and and oh Jesus Christ God almighty 。。。
 She took a little tissue out of her purse and gently dabbed beside her nose and forehead。 〃It's awfully humid today; isn't it?〃
 〃Yes。 Kathy; why is it so sudden?〃
 〃Well it isn't dear; not really。 They just couldn't diagnose it。 That's what all the tests were for。〃 It had begun as a slight dizziness and headaches about six months ago。 She'd noticed it most when she was playing golf。 She would be standing over her ball; steadying herself; but her eyes would go dizzy and she could not focus and the ball would split and bee two and three and two again and they would never stay still。 Andrew had laughed and told her to see an optician。 But it wasn't glasses; and aspirins did not help; nor stronger pills。 Then dear old Tooley; their family doctor forever; had sent her to Matilda Hospital on the Peak for tests and more tests and brain scans in case there was a tumor but they had shown nothing; nor had all the other tests。 Only the awful spinal tap gave a clue。 Other tests confirmed it。 Yesterday。 Oh sweet Jesus was it only yesterday they condemned me to the wheelchair; at length to bee a helpless slobbering thing?
 〃You've told Andrew?〃
 〃No dear;〃 she said; pulled once more back from the brink。 〃I haven't told him yet。 I couldn't; not yet。 Poor dear Andrew does get into a tizzy so easily。 I'll tell him tonight。 I couldn't tell him before I told you。 I had to tell you first。 We always used to tell you everything first; didn't we? Lechie; Scotty and I? You always used to know first。 。。。〃 She was remembering when they were all young; all the lovely happy times here in Hong Kong and in Ayr at Castle Avisyard; at their lovely old rambling house on the crest of the hill amid the heather; overlooking the sea … Christmas and Easter and the long summer holidays; she and Ian … and Lechie; the oldest; and Scott; her twin brother … such happy days when Father wasn't there; all of them terrified of their father except Ian who was always their spokesman; always their protector; who always took the punishments … no supper tonight; and write five hundred times I will not argue anymore; a child's place is to be seen and not heard … who took all the beatings and never plained。 Oh poor Lechie and Scotty 。。。
 〃Oh Ian;〃 she said; her tears welling suddenly; 〃I'm so sorry。〃 Then she felt his arms wrap around her and she felt safe at last and the nightmare softened。 But she knew it would never go away。 Not now。 Never。 Nor would her brothers e back; except in her dreams; nor would her darling Johnny。 〃It's all right; Ian;〃 she said through her tears。 〃It's not for me; not me really。 I was just thinking about Lechie and Scotty and home at Ayr when we were small; and my Johnny; and I was oh ever so sad for all of them。 。。。〃
 Lechie was the first to die。 Second Lieutenant; Highland Light Infantry。 He was lost in 1940 in France。 Nothing was ever found of him。 One moment he had been there beside the road; and then he was gone; the air filled with acrid smoke from the barrage that the Nazi panzers had laid down on the little stone bridge over the stream on the way to Dunkirk。 For all the war years they had all lived in the hope that Lechie was now a POW in some good prison camp … not one of those terrible ones。 And after the war; the months of searching but never a sign; never a witness; not even the littlest sign and then they; the family; and at length Father had laid Lechie's ghost to rest。
 Scott had been sixteen in '39 and he'd gone to Canada for safety; there to finish schooling; and then; already a pilot; the day he was eighteen; in spite of Father's howling protests; he had joined the Canadian Air Force; wanting blood vengeance for Lechie。 And he had got his wings at once and joined a bomber squadron and had e over well in time for D Day。 Gleefully he had blown many a town to pieces and many a city to pieces until February 14; 1945; now Squadron Leader; DFC and Bar; in

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的