CHAPTER ELEVEN: The Move to Aberalaw

A few days later they were married. On the same morning, they packed Christine’s few pieces of furniture and pots and pans into John Lossin’s old motor bus and drove slowly through the mountains to Aberalaw.

The weather was bright and sunny. They laughed and joked; and Lossin, a man without cares, kept pulling a bottle from his pocket to drink to their future happiness. They had lunch at a small hotel high in the mountains. Then they began to drop down into the valley leading to Aberalaw, along a rough and narrow road with steep hills on either side.

At last, after passing two dangerous bends, they caught their first sight of Aberalaw. It was a moment of joy. The town lay before them, with its houses dotted up and down the valley; its shops, offices and churches were at one end of the town and, at the other end, its mines and smoking chimneys – all lit up by the bright sun.

‘Look Chris – look!’ Andrew whispered, pressing her arm tightly. ‘It’s a fine place, isn’t it? There’s the square! And look – there’s the gas works. No need to use oil lamps here, dear. Where do you think our house is?’

They stopped a miner, who directed them to Vale View.

‘Well!’ said Christine as they entered the large, ugly house, Vale View, that was now their home. ‘It’s – it’s nice, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, dear. It – it looks a lovely house.’

Excitedly, they went into each room. There were so many rooms, and they were all so large, that they only had enough furniture for two of them. They finished their tour of the house in the kitchen, where Christine unpacked some eggs and cooked a meal.

‘Heavens, dear, you are a good cook! That was the best meal that I’ve ever eaten!’ Andrew said in delight. ‘Oh, I am looking forward to starting work! There ought to be good opportunities here – big opportunities!’ He suddenly caught sight of a box in the corner. ‘I say, Chris, what’s that?’

‘A wedding present – from Denny.’

‘Denny!’ His expression changed. Philip’s manner had been cold when Andrew thanked him for his help in getting the new post, and told him of his intention to marry Christine. This morning, he had not even said goodbye to them. His unfriendly behaviour had hurt Andrew. Andrew slowly opened the box, thinking that it might be a joke. Then he gave a cry of delight. Inside was Denny’s microscope and a note: ‘I don’t really need this. Good luck!’

Andrew picked up the microscope, carried it into another room, and gently laid it on the floor, saying: ‘Owing to the generosity of our good friend Philip Denny, I shall now make this room my work room.’

Suddenly the telephone rang.

‘Perhaps it’s a patient, Chris! My first Aberalaw case!’ Andrew cried, and ran into the hall to answer the telephone. It was Dr Llewellyn.

‘Hullo, Manson. How are you? I want to welcome you and your wife to Aberalaw.’

‘Thank you, Dr Llewellyn. That’s most kind of you,’ Andrew replied.

‘Nonsense! Nonsense! Come and have dinner with us tonight. Then you and I can have a talk. We shall expect you at seven o’clock. Goodbye.’

Andrew hurried back to Christine to tell her about the invitation. ‘Wasn’t that nice of him, Chris? The head doctor! And he sounded so friendly! Mrs Manson, we are going to be successful!’ He put his arm round her and began to dance.

Dr and Mrs Llewellyn greeted them like old friends. During dinner, while Mrs Llewellyn was talking to Christine, Dr Llewellyn told Andrew a few more details about the medical system at Aberalaw.

‘There are two surgeries – one at the west end of the town and the other at the east end.’ he explained. ‘You will work at the west surgery with old Dr Urquhart and Gadge, who mixes the medicines. Here, at the east surgery, there are two other doctors: Dr Medley and Dr Oxborrow. They’re all nice men. You’ll like them. Of course, I’m too busy to work at the surgery myself. I have so many other responsibilities! I’m in charge of the hospital. I’m Medical Officer for the town, and hold several other important posts. I also have a private practice.’

‘You do have a lot of work!’ Manson remarked.

Llewellyn smiled. ‘I must make money, Dr Manson!’ He paused. ‘I should just mention that the doctors have agreed to pay me a small part of their salaries.’

Andrew looked up in surprise.

‘That’s because I see their patients for them when they’re worried,’ Llewellyn added quickly.’But we’ll discuss this matter at another time.’

At that moment, Mrs Llewellyn called to her husband from the other end of the table: ‘They were only married this morning! Mrs Manson has just told me so.’ She took Christine’s hand. ‘My poor child! You will be busy – trying to make that terrible house look nice.’

Manson reddened. ‘It’s true,’ he admitted. He paused. ‘Would it be possible, do you think, Dr Llewellyn, for me to go to London for two days to buy furniture for our house?’

‘Certainly! You can be absent from work tomorrow and the next day, Dr Manson.’

At ten o’clock Llewellyn drove Andrew and Christine to the- hospital, where he had some patients to see. The hospital, though small, was well built and seemed to contain everything that was needed. As Llewellyn showed them round, Andrew thought: ‘This is perfect! I’ll be able to treat my patients very effectively in here!’

‘I’m rather proud of this place, Manson,’ Llewellyn remarked.

Then suddenly his manner changed. ‘Well, I can’t waste any more time,’ he said quickly. ‘You can find your way home, can’t you? Good night!’

As they walked home together, Andrew said:’I like him. I like him very much. But – but why should we pay him part of our salary? It doesn’t seem fair!’

When they returned to their almost empty house, they stood together in the dark hall. Then Andrew put his arm round Christine and whispered: ‘What’s your name, love?’

‘Christine,’ she answered in surprise.

‘Christine what?’

‘Christine Manson.’ Her breath came quickly, and was warm on his lips.