yourself to be nice, Virgie."
She made a sound in her throat. Holding her gaze, he stepped closer to her. "Virgie, damn it, I don't care what your father has told you. His halo has slipped down on his fat head and is constricting his brain."
She laughed, an abrupt, reluctant sound.
Peter smiled. "Forget him. Don't try to be hard. You can't be. It's against your nature."
Again tears shone in her eyes. She turned away sharply. "You're beginning to sound just as preachy as him. Don't waste your time." Her voice broke on the last word and she strode quickly away.
Amanda watched as Peter caught up with her. She heard them shouting. Vile words poured out of Virgie, but Peter matched her word for word as though it were some kind of contest. When she tried to walk away from him again, he caught her arm, and suddenly Virgie was leaning against him, crying in harsh, ugly sobs.
Amanda walked slowly away. They didn't need intruders. She had the feeling that Virgie would be all right. And Peter, too. It was only slightly satisfying to know that something would turn out right.
Amanda didn't stop walking. She walked and walked, knowing that she had by now missed breakfast. After endless steps she came to another bridge, wider than the other to accommodate horses. Looking down at the small stream, she barely heard the sound it made as it ran over the rocks.
Suddenly, near the edge of the stream, she saw a stone, round and smooth and streaked with deep purple. Danny would like it, she thought, a smile tugging at her lips. He would think it was a miracle.
Shaking her head, she sighed. There was no way she could stop thinking about him. She walked off the bridge and scrambled down the steep slope. It couldn't hurt just to give him a rock, she told herself defensively.
Picking up the smooth stone, she shook the water off and slid it into her pocket, then sat beneath the bridge in the shadows. It was cool and peaceful beside the stream. Maybe here she could decide what to do.
She must have been half-asleep when she first heard the voices. She didn't hear individual words, just the murmur of voices in the distance. They drew closer, and she heard the footsteps on the bridge above her. Whoever it was wouldn't be able to see her, she thought in relief. Virgie had been one encounter too many.
Pulling back into the shadows, she leaned her head against the wooden support.
"...been seven months, for God's sake. Isn't there any way to speed this thing up? You never told me it would last so long."
Amanda hated being put in the position of eavesdropper. But although she tried to tune out the words, the man's voice came to her clearly in her hiding place. He sounded nervous and irritated.
"You're wrong. I told you that in order for this to work you would have to turn the complete process over to me. You're too impatient. That's a mistake."
Amanda identified the second voice immediately. It was Ted's. He was speaking in that stilted, professional tone he used when discussing a patient. The other man was obviously worried about one of Greenleigh's guests, but Ted's words were not in the least sympathetic. Maybe the doctor's reputation eliminated the need for a winning bedside manner.
"If you don't trust me and my methods," Ted continued, "I can turn over the patient to you right now"
"You know damn well that's impossible." The stranger inhaled roughly. "Okay, maybe I'm pushing things. I know it's all worth it, but sometimes I wonder if it's ever going to work out."
"You came to me because I'm the best." Ted laughed softly. "Considering the money you're paying for this, I would think you would have a little more confidence in my work. If you have to concentrate on something, concentrate on what the future will be like when the treatment is complete. That should keep you busy for a while."
They were across the bridge now, and Amanda couldn't hear them so clearly. She was able to shut out the words, but from the rumble of voices, she knew when
She made a sound in her throat. Holding her gaze, he stepped closer to her. "Virgie, damn it, I don't care what your father has told you. His halo has slipped down on his fat head and is constricting his brain."
She laughed, an abrupt, reluctant sound.
Peter smiled. "Forget him. Don't try to be hard. You can't be. It's against your nature."
Again tears shone in her eyes. She turned away sharply. "You're beginning to sound just as preachy as him. Don't waste your time." Her voice broke on the last word and she strode quickly away.
Amanda watched as Peter caught up with her. She heard them shouting. Vile words poured out of Virgie, but Peter matched her word for word as though it were some kind of contest. When she tried to walk away from him again, he caught her arm, and suddenly Virgie was leaning against him, crying in harsh, ugly sobs.
Amanda walked slowly away. They didn't need intruders. She had the feeling that Virgie would be all right. And Peter, too. It was only slightly satisfying to know that something would turn out right.
Amanda didn't stop walking. She walked and walked, knowing that she had by now missed breakfast. After endless steps she came to another bridge, wider than the other to accommodate horses. Looking down at the small stream, she barely heard the sound it made as it ran over the rocks.
Suddenly, near the edge of the stream, she saw a stone, round and smooth and streaked with deep purple. Danny would like it, she thought, a smile tugging at her lips. He would think it was a miracle.
Shaking her head, she sighed. There was no way she could stop thinking about him. She walked off the bridge and scrambled down the steep slope. It couldn't hurt just to give him a rock, she told herself defensively.
Picking up the smooth stone, she shook the water off and slid it into her pocket, then sat beneath the bridge in the shadows. It was cool and peaceful beside the stream. Maybe here she could decide what to do.
She must have been half-asleep when she first heard the voices. She didn't hear individual words, just the murmur of voices in the distance. They drew closer, and she heard the footsteps on the bridge above her. Whoever it was wouldn't be able to see her, she thought in relief. Virgie had been one encounter too many.
Pulling back into the shadows, she leaned her head against the wooden support.
"...been seven months, for God's sake. Isn't there any way to speed this thing up? You never told me it would last so long."
Amanda hated being put in the position of eavesdropper. But although she tried to tune out the words, the man's voice came to her clearly in her hiding place. He sounded nervous and irritated.
"You're wrong. I told you that in order for this to work you would have to turn the complete process over to me. You're too impatient. That's a mistake."
Amanda identified the second voice immediately. It was Ted's. He was speaking in that stilted, professional tone he used when discussing a patient. The other man was obviously worried about one of Greenleigh's guests, but Ted's words were not in the least sympathetic. Maybe the doctor's reputation eliminated the need for a winning bedside manner.
"If you don't trust me and my methods," Ted continued, "I can turn over the patient to you right now"
"You know damn well that's impossible." The stranger inhaled roughly. "Okay, maybe I'm pushing things. I know it's all worth it, but sometimes I wonder if it's ever going to work out."
"You came to me because I'm the best." Ted laughed softly. "Considering the money you're paying for this, I would think you would have a little more confidence in my work. If you have to concentrate on something, concentrate on what the future will be like when the treatment is complete. That should keep you busy for a while."
They were across the bridge now, and Amanda couldn't hear them so clearly. She was able to shut out the words, but from the rumble of voices, she knew when
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