Free An Irish Doctor in Peace and at War by Patrick Taylor Page B

ones with me,” she smiled, “and starting three weeks ago I’m on the road to new memories, and Archie’s on that journey with me.”
    It was how O’Reilly had felt last April when Kitty had said “I do.” “Good for you, Kinky.”
    â€œAnd please remember, Kinky,” Kitty said, “you are welcome here always as our friend.” It was only then that O’Reilly saw the hint of a tear in his old friend’s eyes.
    There was a knock on the door.
    â€œCome in,” Kinky said.
    Donal Donnelly’s carroty mop and buck teeth popped in with the springiness of a jack-in-the-box going sideways.
    â€œCome in, Donal,” O’Reilly said. “I do appreciate your volunteering to help.”
    â€œOch sure, wouldn’t everybody in the village and townland walk on hot coals for our Kinky? Welcome home, Mrs. Auchinleck.”
    â€œThank you, Donal,” she said.
    â€œIt’s not a bit of bother, so it’s not, and hasn’t Mister Bishop loaned us a van, and all?”
    â€œHe had to,” said O’Reilly. “Flo told him to, and you know how Flo can be.”
    â€œI do that,” said Donal. “She can be a right ould targe when it suits her.”
    â€œMister Donnelly,” said Kinky sternly, hiding her smile behind a sheaf of wrapping paper. “I’ll have you know—”
    â€œ And, ” said Donal, “ and she can have a heart of corn when her friends are in need. But our Flo can be the right taskmaster, make you no mistake.”
    â€œAnd so can I,” said O’Reilly with a mock scowl. “I want the three of us men to get all the boxes into the van and take them round to Archie’s.”
    â€œArchie and Kinky’s,” Kitty said.
    â€œSo jump to it, Misss tah Christyun,” said Barry in an uncanny impression of Charles Laughton’s Captain Bligh in Mutiny on the Bounty . It made O’Reilly laugh so much he nearly dropped the box of books he’d just picked up. He set it down. “Gentlemen,” he said. “I’m sure we can pull this job off smoothly if Doctor Laverty refrains from acting the lig. There’ll be more help unloading at the other end. Archie’s son Rory is coming down from Palace Barracks to give a hand.”
    â€œI promise. And it’ll be great to see Rory,” said Barry.
    â€œAnd,” said O’Reilly, “once the job is done, it will be my pleasure to treat the gentlemen of the moving crew, those who want to come, to the first pint of the evening in the Mucky Duck. I regret, ladies, that I am not responsible for Ulster’s archaic licensing laws, so you won’t be able to join us.”
    â€œThat’s perfectly all right,” Kitty said. “I’ll not be coming in the van if that’s all right, Kinky? I have a date with a black Lab for a walk in the dunes on Ballybucklebo Beach.”
    â€œGrand, so. Arthur Guinness will be a happy dog and I’ll be settled and content in our new home with Archie.”
    â€œSo, you run along and play with your friends, Fingal,” Kitty said, and gave him a wicked smile, “but don’t think that now Kinky has moved you can be late for your dinner.”

8
    Brave New World
    â€œCome with me,” Surgeon Commander Wilcoxson said, heading for a curtain to the right.
    Fingal finished the salute he’d begun when his superior officer had appeared and followed him into what he assumed was the sick bay. Instead he found himself in a small alcove. Directly ahead, double doors led to what must be another room on the ship’s starboard side. The sick bay attendant had disappeared through a screen behind and to Fingal’s left.
    â€œHe’s just gone into the sick bay proper,” Wilcoxson said. “I’ll show you round later.” He held open yet another curtain and stepped through. “In here’s the surgeon’s examining room.