Chapter 33
At the cow house, Bobby pillaged some bandages from Charlie’s surgery, as well as cotton wool and a bottle of antiseptic. She was able to fashion a nasal splint for the captain from a couple of matchsticks.
She was relieved to find that Lilian’s head didn’t look too bad: just a small cut at the back, and the beginning of a rather fine lump.
Still, Bobby hoped Dr Minchin would be able to come.
She remembered from her first aid training that concussion could be a difficult thing to diagnose, and was dangerous if left untreated.
There were various ways to test for it, asking about spots behind the eyes and so forth, but Bobby couldn’t remember what they were.
An hour later, however, the doctor still hadn’t arrived.
There was no sign of Tony either, although Bobby had hardly expected him to come home after what had happened.
She imagined he had either gone to his Home Guard parade or – and this seemed more likely – he was drinking away his woes in a pub somewhere.
Wherever he was, she hoped he was having a long, hard think about what he’d done.
She might have understood him thumping Captain Parry, given the provocation.
She had even felt rather sorry for him when he had looked so very broken at the thought George might have secured Lilian’s love when he had been striving for it all this time.
But what he had done to his wife was harder to forgive.
Lilian had finally managed to soothe the baby, who was sleeping quietly.
Lil’s head was bandaged from eyebrows to crown – the cut was small, but Bobby had been liberal in her use of Charlie’s dressings nonetheless.
Meanwhile, the captain had two matchsticks either side of his nose secured by a strip of plaster, with cotton wool in both nostrils.
The bleeding finally seemed to be slowing.
‘Look at the pair of us,’ Lilian said when she had put down the baby. ‘We look like we’ve escaped the pyramids, George.’
The captain smiled. ‘Yes, we are rather Tutankhamun-like. How does your poor old head feel, darling?’ He winced. ‘I’m sorry. Lilian. I hadn’t meant to call you that.’
‘It aches, but it should be all right by tomorrow,’ Lilian said. ‘It’ll only be a little tender for a while, I think.’
‘I ought to get back to the girls. They must have been frightened before, and I owe them an explanation. If I stay any longer, they’ll wonder what’s become of me.’
‘You ought to see the doctor first,’ Bobby said. ‘I don’t know if I’ve dressed your nose right at all, George. I can go to the girls and tell them not to worry about you.’
‘No,’ the captain said, a little more sharply than he was accustomed to speak. ‘Sorry, but I wouldn’t want Scott to hear I’d been alone here with his wife. Besides, you’ve done enough rushing about today for someone in your condition. You can send the doctor to me when he’s treated your sister.’
‘Why did you come over?’ Lilian asked, turning to Bobby. ‘I forgot to ask in all the drama.’
Bobby thought of the news she had been so excited to share. What had seemed like the beginning of a whole new life hardly seemed to matter, now. She had no idea what the future would hold for her sister and Tony, after this.
‘Just for a chat,’ she said vaguely. ‘It wasn’t important.’
‘I’ll leave you to wait for the doctor,’ the captain said, getting to his feet. ‘Lilian, I’m so sorry again for all the trouble I’ve caused you. I’ve been a very selfish man, I see that now. I don’t know what made me act so rashly.’
‘Why did you?’ Bobby asked. She was tired and annoyed after the scene earlier, and in no mood to mind her own business. And while Tony was currently top of her grudge list after the way he had hurt Lilian, the captain certainly wasn’t in her good books either.
The captain sighed. ‘I suppose I thought I could have my cake and eat it too, to coin a hackneyed phrase. I admired your sister, and I felt that if we remained strictly and carefully platonic in our relations then I could enjoy her company without violating the sanctity of marriage.’
‘It didn’t occur to you that feelings were involved as well as marriage vows?’ Bobby demanded. ‘That it was always going to be more complicated than that?’
Lilian shot her sister a look, but Bobby ignored it.
‘I don’t suppose it did,’ the captain said, his eyes fixed on Lilian.
‘Or at least, I didn’t allow myself to think about it.
’ He approached Lil to take her hands. ‘I’d like to say I had enough decency in my soul to regret it.
But when I think of the time we spent together, Lilian, I honestly can’t.
It was precious, every moment. I thank you for it. ’
‘You sound like you’re saying goodbye,’ Lilian said quietly.
‘Yes. I’ll make other arrangements for the girls after school. I suppose you and I must be merely nodding acquaintances henceforth. Neighbours and no more.’
‘You’re right. It’s the only way.’ Lilian summoned a watery smile. ‘But I want you to know, George… I don’t regret it either. Those memories are precious, as you say, and I’ll be living on them the rest of my life.’
‘And I pray with all my heart that it will be a long and happy life, filled with love. I’ve never met anyone who more deserved it.’ The captain hesitated, then planted a soft kiss on her cheek. ‘Take care of yourself, my dear.’
‘I know Veronica will make you happy. I’ll never forget you. Tell the girls I love them, and…’ Lilian bit her lip. ‘Goodbye, George.’
‘Goodbye, Lilian.’
The captain gave her a last lingering glance before he left. Lilian watched him go, staring at the door for some time after it had closed.
‘So it was love after all,’ Bobby said quietly.
Lilian started. ‘Bobby. I’d half forgotten you were here.’
‘I’m so sorry, sweetheart. What happens now?’
Lilian sat down beside her. ‘I suppose… I put it behind me. Keep it my special, secret little memory, like a lovely dream I once had, and try to muddle along with Tony. Try to love him if I can.’
‘Do you think you ever could?’
‘I don’t know.’ Lilian touched one hand to the back of her bandaged head. ‘I don’t know.’
A little while later there was a knock at the door. Bobby expected to see the doctor when she answered it, but instead it was Charlie, accompanied by a young man she didn’t recognise.
‘Bobby,’ he said with surprise. ‘You’re here.’
‘I am. And so are you.’ She cast a puzzled look at the stranger. ‘And, um, so are you. Well, come in.’
‘Is everything all right?’ Charlie asked, looking anxious as he followed her inside. ‘There’s a fur coat on the ground out there and I was sure I saw blood on the track.’ He clocked Lilian’s bandaged head and stared. ‘Hellfire! What have you girls been doing?’
‘Never mind that. You’re needed,’ Bobby said. ‘In the absence of a doctor, a vet will have to do. Do you know much about concussion?’
‘I know how to check for it. Why, has Lil got a concussion?’ He looked at Lil. ‘Have you got a concussion?’
‘I don’t think so, but I’m no expert,’ she said.
‘Right. Well, let’s take a look.’ He came forward and started unravelling her bandages.
Bobby looked at the other man, who was taking in this scene of chaos with a bewildered look on his face. ‘Who’s this, Charlie?’
‘Roger,’ Charlie said absently. ‘Your sister told me I could bring him to the surgery. Remember?’
‘Oh.’ Bobby rubbed her head. ‘Yes. Sorry, I’d forgotten.’
‘Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?’
‘I’ll tell you all about it once you’ve checked our Lil over.’ Bobby summoned a smile for Roger. ‘I’m so sorry about this, Mr Turner. Let me show you into the surgery. Charlie can join us when he’s done with his patient.’
‘She makes me sound like a poorly spaniel,’ Lil muttered while Charlie pressed his fingers against her lump.
‘Right,’ said the dazed-looking Roger. He followed Bobby to the surgery.
‘Um, so these are the instruments,’ she said when they were inside, gesturing vaguely. ‘All in excellent condition, as you can see. A real bargain at… whatever Charlie said he was willing to sell them for. This one’s a bull emasculator and the rest are for, er… sheep. Sheep things.’
Roger smiled. ‘I take it you didn’t meet him working as a veterinary nurse?’
‘Well observed,’ Bobby said, smiling too. ‘I’m sure he’ll be here in a moment to tell you what everything is. My sister had an accident earlier and my first aid skills are rather rusty, I’m ashamed to say.’
‘Not at all,’ the man said politely. ‘Your bandaging looked first rate.’
He seemed young to be starting his own practice, Bobby thought. Roger Turner couldn’t be more than twenty-two.
‘I know, barely out of the cradle and already opening a surgery of my own,’ Roger said with a laugh, as if reading her thoughts.
‘My old man died recently and left me some money, so I thought why should I be slogging my backside off for any other sod, pardon my French? The problem is finding someone to come in with me. I could use an old hand at my side who’d be able to weigh in with knowledge and advice, but practically everyone not in a practice of their own seems to have gone off to the veterinary corps. ’
‘Oh,’ Bobby said, disappointed. ‘So there’s a chance you won’t need to buy Charlie’s instruments after all, then.’
‘Well, I haven’t quite given up hope of finding a partner.’ He looked at her keenly. ‘I was hoping your husband might be interested, but he tells me he doesn’t practise any more. Any idea why?’
Bobby flushed. ‘Well, um, he was injured in the RAF. I shouldn’t say too much when it’s his business, but the injury makes it difficult to do work that requires a steady hand. That’s why he’s selling his instruments.’