Read Online Affection by Ian Townsend - Free Book Online

struck up the Doxology. Humphry’s elbow rose as he took a nip from his hipflask.
    The first passenger appeared at the top of the Leura ’s gangway. He looked around and seemed to take a deep breath before starting down. As he came closer I saw spectacles, a white linen tropical suit and a white pithhelmet. There was no movement from the party as he came towards us, but then Dr Bacot took a coughing fit and Humphry pounded him once, hard, on the back.
    The man was carrying a medical bag and tottered down the gangway towards us.
    I’d been nervous about the reception the doctor would get in Townsville and seeing Jefferis Turner again, his stature, I was certain now that he would be quickly crushed.
    Except for the white suit he was exactly as I remembered: small and dapper. His slight build hardly tipped the scales in the doctors’ favour.
    As Mayor McCreedy had said, they were a tough breed in the North. They were quick to note any weakness in Southerners. The man seemed unsteady as he negotiated the moving gangway and McCreedy appeared to swell as the Government doctor approached.
    He was the centre of everyone’s attention now; even the other passengers watched as he stepped off the gangway as if off a Brisbane tram.
    Humphry in front of me went to step forward, but the Mayor in one long stride beat him, reaching out a practised hand.
    ‘Doctor Turner? A. E. McCreedy. I’m the Mayor. Good of you to come.’
    I caught the ‘fank you’. I saw McCreedy’s face now and it was beaming, and Bacot was staring with his mouth open. My God, I thought, Turner was light-weight,English middle class, bookish, with a speech impediment; the antithesis of the northern male.
    The Mayor eclipsed the doctor as he stepped forward, causing the rest of the party to move forward and surround him. For a moment I fancied they’d eaten him.
    I heard McCreedy introduce the others. I could just see the top of Turner’s oddly large head.
    ‘And where is Dr Row?’ I heard him say.
    ‘Who?’ said McCreedy.
    Humphry looked around, saw me, and stepped aside.
    ‘Here I am,’ I said.
    I took the hand that Turner extended between Bacot and Humphry. ‘I never expected such a crowd.’ Cwowd .
    Bacot, I swear, sniggered.
    Turner smiled at me as if we were old friends. In his eyes I saw a confidence no doubt naïve and dangerously misplaced.
    I said I was glad to see him again. I wished I’d meant it.
    Alderman Willmett, as chairman of the Epidemic Board and a gentleman, asked Turner if his trip was comfortable and Turner told him it was, but for the last leg from Rockhampton, which was ‘wuff, vewy wuff, but jolly good fun’.
    I stood back and Turner vanished again among the black suits. The other passengers were now coming down the gangway and the Mayor was gesturing at the locomotive, one of the train’s carriages having beenespecially organised for the dignitaries. I heard Turner from within the scrum assure him he shouldn’t have bovvered , but the Mayor wouldn’t hear of anything but the best for a respected medico and escorted the doctor to the carriage.
    Humphry fell back beside me as we moved off.
    ‘We’ve been sold a pup.’
    ‘Why do you say that?’ I said.
    ‘ Weally ?’ mocked Humphry. ‘Come on. You didn’t tell me he was a jockey.’
    I saw Turner walking between McCreedy and Bacot. ‘He’s no jockey.’ I supposed he didn’t look like the man who could fight our battles. ‘He’s the Brisbane featherweight boxing champion. Took my title.’
    ‘Ha!’ said Humphry. The train whistle blew. ‘Wonder if they have beer and sandwiches.’
    We stopped by the carriage.
    ‘I brought my Carbine.’
    ‘You know, Lin, when you say that, I look around for your gun or your horse.’
    ‘It’s only a mile back to town. Seems silly to take a train.’
    ‘Nothing’s too silly for the Government’s bacteriologist, apparently.’
    I left them and walked back to my bicycle with mixed feelings about Turner’s