really attempted to embrace her? Had I given her a little cuddle as I walked her down the passage? My mouth opened in a series of soft moans.
Of one thing I could be sure—I had been guilty of the most ghastly impropriety and I had a searing conviction that I would have to pay dearly for it. Certainly she would never set foot in my surgery again. The whole shameful story would get around. She might even report me to the Royal College. I could see the headlines in the Darrowby and Houlton Times. Veterinary Surgeon on Serious Charge, Herriot to Appear Before Disciplinary Body.
Groaning, I huddled deeper, gazing sightlessly at the cup of tea Helen had placed by my bedside. After my funny turns I always had a day’s rest and after that I had always made a remarkably quick recovery. But this time the mental scars would take a long time to heal. And how about the dire consequences?
I couldn’t stand the self-torture any longer. I swallowed my tea, pulled on my clothes and trailed downstairs.
“Feeling better, Jim?” my wife asked brightly as she washed the dishes. “You’ll soon be okay again, you always are. What a strange business it is, but anyway, the kids enjoyed it. I understand you were in excellent voice last night.” She giggled as she reached for the towel.
I thought a gentle stroll in the fresh air would make me feel better, so I set off to walk around the town. I could hardly believe it when I saw Mrs. Featherstone approaching a mere hundred yards away. Panic-stricken, I scuttled over to the other side of the street, but the lady had spotted me and she crossed over, too. And as the expensively tweeded figure bore down on me with purposeful strides I knew there was no escape.
Ah, well, I told myself, here it comes: Mr. Herriot, I thought you might be interested to know that I have placed the matter of Saturday night in the hands of my solicitors. Your behaviour was quite outrageous and I feel it my duty to ensure that defenceless women are protected from you in future. I can scarcely believe that a professional man would act as you did—taking advantage of your situation, betraying the trust placed in you. And as for your incredible callousness in the face of my poor dog’s suffering—I cannot bear to think of it.
But it wasn’t like that at all. When Mrs. Featherstone came up to me she put a hand on my arm. “Really, Mr. Herriot, you did me a service last night.”
“Eh?”
“Yes, you were so understanding. I realise now that I have been foolish about Rollo. I must have been such a nuisance to you.”
“Oh, no, no, no…”
“You are kind, but I know I have been unreasonable, troubling you over nothing at inconvenient times and here again I was at your door on a Saturday night.”
“I assure you…”
“But instead of being upset, you laughed, and it was so wonderful how you made me see the funny side of my silliness. I feel so ashamed that I refused to listen to you when you so rightly tried to explain that I was worrying needlessly, and I do hope you can forgive me. From now on, I intend to be a sensible dog owner. And Rollo really is quite healthy, isn’t he?”
Waves of relief rolled over me as I looked at the little dog, bright-eyed, laughing-faced, leaping almost head high at the sound of his name. “Well, I’m not quite sure. He doesn’t look very lively to me.”
“Oh, now you are trying to make me laugh again.” She put her hand over her mouth with the same embarrassed gesture I remembered, then gave me a quizzical look. “I feel I’m going to laugh a lot more in future.”
I haven’t had a funny turn for thirty years. They just gradually disappeared from my life. But when I think of that Saturday night with Mrs. Featherstone I still get an attack of the shivers.
Chapter 10
I COULDN’T BELIEVE I was going to launch this boy on his own into the jungle of veterinary practice. Young John Crooks, so familiar a face after the months he had spent seeing practice with us
Of one thing I could be sure—I had been guilty of the most ghastly impropriety and I had a searing conviction that I would have to pay dearly for it. Certainly she would never set foot in my surgery again. The whole shameful story would get around. She might even report me to the Royal College. I could see the headlines in the Darrowby and Houlton Times. Veterinary Surgeon on Serious Charge, Herriot to Appear Before Disciplinary Body.
Groaning, I huddled deeper, gazing sightlessly at the cup of tea Helen had placed by my bedside. After my funny turns I always had a day’s rest and after that I had always made a remarkably quick recovery. But this time the mental scars would take a long time to heal. And how about the dire consequences?
I couldn’t stand the self-torture any longer. I swallowed my tea, pulled on my clothes and trailed downstairs.
“Feeling better, Jim?” my wife asked brightly as she washed the dishes. “You’ll soon be okay again, you always are. What a strange business it is, but anyway, the kids enjoyed it. I understand you were in excellent voice last night.” She giggled as she reached for the towel.
I thought a gentle stroll in the fresh air would make me feel better, so I set off to walk around the town. I could hardly believe it when I saw Mrs. Featherstone approaching a mere hundred yards away. Panic-stricken, I scuttled over to the other side of the street, but the lady had spotted me and she crossed over, too. And as the expensively tweeded figure bore down on me with purposeful strides I knew there was no escape.
Ah, well, I told myself, here it comes: Mr. Herriot, I thought you might be interested to know that I have placed the matter of Saturday night in the hands of my solicitors. Your behaviour was quite outrageous and I feel it my duty to ensure that defenceless women are protected from you in future. I can scarcely believe that a professional man would act as you did—taking advantage of your situation, betraying the trust placed in you. And as for your incredible callousness in the face of my poor dog’s suffering—I cannot bear to think of it.
But it wasn’t like that at all. When Mrs. Featherstone came up to me she put a hand on my arm. “Really, Mr. Herriot, you did me a service last night.”
“Eh?”
“Yes, you were so understanding. I realise now that I have been foolish about Rollo. I must have been such a nuisance to you.”
“Oh, no, no, no…”
“You are kind, but I know I have been unreasonable, troubling you over nothing at inconvenient times and here again I was at your door on a Saturday night.”
“I assure you…”
“But instead of being upset, you laughed, and it was so wonderful how you made me see the funny side of my silliness. I feel so ashamed that I refused to listen to you when you so rightly tried to explain that I was worrying needlessly, and I do hope you can forgive me. From now on, I intend to be a sensible dog owner. And Rollo really is quite healthy, isn’t he?”
Waves of relief rolled over me as I looked at the little dog, bright-eyed, laughing-faced, leaping almost head high at the sound of his name. “Well, I’m not quite sure. He doesn’t look very lively to me.”
“Oh, now you are trying to make me laugh again.” She put her hand over her mouth with the same embarrassed gesture I remembered, then gave me a quizzical look. “I feel I’m going to laugh a lot more in future.”
I haven’t had a funny turn for thirty years. They just gradually disappeared from my life. But when I think of that Saturday night with Mrs. Featherstone I still get an attack of the shivers.
Chapter 10
I COULDN’T BELIEVE I was going to launch this boy on his own into the jungle of veterinary practice. Young John Crooks, so familiar a face after the months he had spent seeing practice with us
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