‘The boy’s in shock. We’d better get him home and get a doctor for him!’
Sophie snapped out of the slow weary feeling that clung to her. ‘We live up at the seafront and my grandfather – we live with him – is a doctor,’ she offered.
‘They’re the Fitzpatrick children, y’know,’ someone said.
The woman nodded. ‘Very well! My car is parked across the road. I’ll drive you all home.’
The fisherman lifted Hugh up and laid him gently on a rug in the back of the old grey Austin. Sophie sat beside him. The woman gestured to Mr Kinsella to get in the front.
‘I’m all wet, Ma’am. Maybe it would be better if I just walked home,’ he protested.
But she wouldn’t hear of it. ‘You’re all soaked through. You’ll end up with pneumonia if you don’t get warm and dry straight away. It’s the very least I can do.’
Seconds later they were outside the door of Carrigraun. Sophie could see the surprise on Nancy’s face when she opened the front door to the wet, bedraggled party.Grandfather was called.
‘What in heaven’s name is it, woman?’ he shouted at Nancy as he came down into the hall, limping badly. His grey hair was muzzy and he looked tired. He’d been having a nap.
Nancy led him upstairs to Hugh’s bedroom. She undressed the boy quickly and dried him with a huge warm towel, before putting a fresh pair of pyjamas on him and pulling the blankets over him. Hugh lay exhausted, small and pale against the bulky white starched pillowcase.
Grandfather sent Sophie down to his study to fetch his black leather doctor’s bag.
First, Grandfather put on the old-fashioned stethoscope and lifted Hugh’s pyjama top to listen to his heart. All the time he talked in a reassuring hushed tone. The others waited on the landing as the doctor completed the examination.
His face was serious when he came out to them. ‘Hugh will be fine. He’s had a very bad shock and is naturally freezing cold. I’ll keep a good eye on that chest, but with any luck he should be fine.’
‘Oh that’s wonderful news!’ sighed the woman who had driven them home.
Grandfather shook Donal’s father by the hand once they got downstairs. ‘Thank you so much, Mr Kinsella. I … my family are forever in your debt. My son Neil would be …’ he paused, finding it difficult to go on ‘… very very grateful.’
Sophie stared – he had actually mentioned her father, said his name.
Donal’s father was beginning to get cold. He pulled the rug around his shoulders as he got back into the front seat of the car.
‘Thank you!’ they all called, as they waved a subdued goodbye.
‘Come on, Sophie. I’ll run a bath for you,’ offered Nancy, ‘then into bed with you for a while.’
Grandfather was back inside, talking to Hugh. Shaken and exhausted, Sophie was glad to relax in the steamy hot bath. Nancy had left out some fresh clothes for her and Sophie pulled them on, beginning to feel relief ease through her veins. She peeped in on Hugh – he was fast asleep and though he still looked pale, he had curled himself into his usual shape and looked more normal. Back in her bedroom, Sophie stared out the window, watching people passing up and down the seafront. It was hard to believe that only an hour ago she nearly lost Hugh. It was my fault, she told herself. I should have minded him. He’s my responsibility. Why did I leave him? She reproached herself a hundred times over, feeling guiltier and guiltier by the minute.
But it was nothing to how she felt after her grandfather had words with her.
They were sitting at the table, both silent, waiting for Nancy to serve the tea – she had already taken some warm milk and fingers of toast up to Hugh.
Grandfather was seething with rage and anger which seemed to be totally directed at Sophie.
‘Well, what do you have to say for yourself?’ he demanded.
She said nothing, just sat staring at the fine bone china cup.
‘I hope you learnt your lesson today!’ he
Sophie snapped out of the slow weary feeling that clung to her. ‘We live up at the seafront and my grandfather – we live with him – is a doctor,’ she offered.
‘They’re the Fitzpatrick children, y’know,’ someone said.
The woman nodded. ‘Very well! My car is parked across the road. I’ll drive you all home.’
The fisherman lifted Hugh up and laid him gently on a rug in the back of the old grey Austin. Sophie sat beside him. The woman gestured to Mr Kinsella to get in the front.
‘I’m all wet, Ma’am. Maybe it would be better if I just walked home,’ he protested.
But she wouldn’t hear of it. ‘You’re all soaked through. You’ll end up with pneumonia if you don’t get warm and dry straight away. It’s the very least I can do.’
Seconds later they were outside the door of Carrigraun. Sophie could see the surprise on Nancy’s face when she opened the front door to the wet, bedraggled party.Grandfather was called.
‘What in heaven’s name is it, woman?’ he shouted at Nancy as he came down into the hall, limping badly. His grey hair was muzzy and he looked tired. He’d been having a nap.
Nancy led him upstairs to Hugh’s bedroom. She undressed the boy quickly and dried him with a huge warm towel, before putting a fresh pair of pyjamas on him and pulling the blankets over him. Hugh lay exhausted, small and pale against the bulky white starched pillowcase.
Grandfather sent Sophie down to his study to fetch his black leather doctor’s bag.
First, Grandfather put on the old-fashioned stethoscope and lifted Hugh’s pyjama top to listen to his heart. All the time he talked in a reassuring hushed tone. The others waited on the landing as the doctor completed the examination.
His face was serious when he came out to them. ‘Hugh will be fine. He’s had a very bad shock and is naturally freezing cold. I’ll keep a good eye on that chest, but with any luck he should be fine.’
‘Oh that’s wonderful news!’ sighed the woman who had driven them home.
Grandfather shook Donal’s father by the hand once they got downstairs. ‘Thank you so much, Mr Kinsella. I … my family are forever in your debt. My son Neil would be …’ he paused, finding it difficult to go on ‘… very very grateful.’
Sophie stared – he had actually mentioned her father, said his name.
Donal’s father was beginning to get cold. He pulled the rug around his shoulders as he got back into the front seat of the car.
‘Thank you!’ they all called, as they waved a subdued goodbye.
‘Come on, Sophie. I’ll run a bath for you,’ offered Nancy, ‘then into bed with you for a while.’
Grandfather was back inside, talking to Hugh. Shaken and exhausted, Sophie was glad to relax in the steamy hot bath. Nancy had left out some fresh clothes for her and Sophie pulled them on, beginning to feel relief ease through her veins. She peeped in on Hugh – he was fast asleep and though he still looked pale, he had curled himself into his usual shape and looked more normal. Back in her bedroom, Sophie stared out the window, watching people passing up and down the seafront. It was hard to believe that only an hour ago she nearly lost Hugh. It was my fault, she told herself. I should have minded him. He’s my responsibility. Why did I leave him? She reproached herself a hundred times over, feeling guiltier and guiltier by the minute.
But it was nothing to how she felt after her grandfather had words with her.
They were sitting at the table, both silent, waiting for Nancy to serve the tea – she had already taken some warm milk and fingers of toast up to Hugh.
Grandfather was seething with rage and anger which seemed to be totally directed at Sophie.
‘Well, what do you have to say for yourself?’ he demanded.
She said nothing, just sat staring at the fine bone china cup.
‘I hope you learnt your lesson today!’ he
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