Evie's dressing-gown was wrapped so tightly as to give her a
mummified appearance.
"I saw the osteopath today and I've arranged for him to come and talk
to you tomorrow," said Ambrose, sitting on the edge of the bed at the
inviting gesture of Christina's hand.
"I will parley with him," she nodded. "I don't believe that he will
make a scrap of difference. I've seen all sorts of doctors and
specialists. Mother has a list of them--she is very proud of it."
"I'm only hoping that this man may do you some good," said Ambrose,
rubbing his chin meditatively. "I have seen some wonderful cures--in
America. Even Dr. Merville believes in them. He says that if you
build a sky-scraper and the steel frame isn't true, you cannot expect
the doors to shut or the windows to open. I'm sorry I am so late,
but the osteopath was dining out, and I had to wait until he came
back. He hurt his ankle too, and that took time. I had to give him
a rubbing. He is the best man in London. Dr. Duncan More."
She did not take her eyes from his face. Evie noticed this and
discounted Christina's earlier assertion.
"Will it cost a lot of money?" asked Christina.
"Not much, in fact very little. The first examination is free. He
doesn't really examine you, you know. He will just feel your back,
through your clothes. I asked him that, because I know how you
dislike examinations. And if he doesn't think that you can be
treated, and that there is a chance of making you better, he won't
bother you any more."
"I don't believe in these quack doctors," said Evie decidedly. "They
promise all sorts of cures and they only take your money. We have a
lot of those kind of remedies at the store, but Mr. Donker, the
manager, says that they are all fakes--don't tell me that an
osteopath isn't a medicine. I know that. He's a sort of doctor, but
I'll bet you he doesn't do any good."
"Cheer up, Job!" said Christina. "Faith is something. I suppose you
mean well, but if I took any notice of you I'd give up the struggle
now."
"I don't want to depress you, you're very unkind, Christina! But I
don't think you ought to be too hopeful. It would be such an
awful--what's the word, come-down for you."
"Reaction," said Sault and Christina together and they laughed.
Sault went soon after and Evie felt that a dignified protest was
called for.
"There is no reason why you should make me look like a fool before
Sault," she said hurt. "Nobody would be happier than I should be if
you got well. You know that. I'm not so sure that Mr. Sault is
sincere--"
"What?"
Christina leaned upon her arm and her eyes were blazing.
"You can say that he is old and ugly, if you like, and shabby
and--anything. But don't dare to say that, Evie--don't dare to say
that he isn't sincere!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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