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another. In a way it's better that he doesn't think there's anything more wrong with Aunt Em than growing old." |
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"If there's nothing anyone can do, Peter, let's not talk about it. Let's forget the whole thing. It's cold and dark in here. Let's go outside." |
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Linda hardly recognized her voice. It was thin and high with fright. Peter's eyes, which had been fixed into the distance over her shoulder, came back to her face. |
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"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm a damned fool. I only wanted to explain why we couldn't get married." |
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Linda's breath eased out. Peter's every emotion played so openly across his faceanger, worry, fear, love. He was not a fool; he could handle her like a virtuoso. But there was no guile in him, no deceit. Whether or not Mrs. Bates was ill, Peter sincerely believed she was. Perhaps the London doctor was playing on his fears. Mrs. Bates was a private patient, one who paid her doctor herself rather than being included under the government program. |
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Linda's opinion of the medical profession was not high. She knew far too many doctors who pandered to "nervous" young women and "exhausted" young men, who prescribed drugs and gave "treatments" more for the purpose of fattening a wallet than restoring health. No doubt it would be a great temptation to an English doctor whose income was limited by government-set allowances to make Mrs. Bates's condition seem more serious than it |
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