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discussion was standing there with them. Even the twins seemed to be listening intently—they were quiet for the moment at any rate.
    ‘And Miss Barton is the breadwinner for all of you?’ he was asking.
    Gerry’s astonishment at this turn of events was disappearing; she wanted to tell him not to ask Teddy these questions. Teddy wasn’t well—she needed protecting. Before, her father had always spoiled her, seen to it that no harm came to Teddy, then Mark had cosseted and loved her. Teddy needed to be looked after—yet here was this new doctor completely unaware of Teddy’s needs telling Teddy she would have to look after Miss Barton if she didn’t want her to be ill.
    Teddy looked as stunned as Gerry felt, but Gerry was the first to recover as the doctor bade them good evening. In a flash she had handed Emma over to her sister, opened the door for her, and with an, ‘I’ll join you in a moment, Teddy,’ she closed the door behind her and turned back to Dr Meadows.
    ‘The twins are very healthy specimens,’ Paul Meadows said as if he thought that was what she wanted to talk to him about.
    ‘I know that,’ Gerry said. She was the one who brought them down regularly for Dr Bidley to check on. ‘It’s Teddy who isn’t well.’
    ‘There’s nothing wrong with that young woman that a healthy outside interest wouldn’t cure.'
    ‘But she’s been so tired lately—so tearful. Teddy’s had an awful time getting over the loss of her husband.’
    ‘She's bored,’ Paul Meadows came back, and Gerry had a feeling she wasn't getting through to him.
    ‘Bored?’ she echoed, feeling a tingle of guilt that their finances didn’t stretch to very exciting outings.
    ‘At a guess I’d say before her husband died she was never still for more than five minutes at a time.’ He looked enquiringly at her, his blue eyes solemn for the moment.
    ‘Well, yes, I suppose you’re right,’ Gerry admitted. Even Teddy’s pregnancy hadn’t stopped her from going to parties—all that had ceased when Mark had died.
    ‘It seems to me. Miss Barton, that since Mrs Wilson’s husband died, you’ve had a fair try at exhausting yourself in a mistaken attempt to make up to her all she has lost. While I can understand the close bond between you, it just won’t do, you know. I can appreciate that there must be times when the twins drive her up the wall, but that's fairly normal—most babies are trying from time to time. But if you’re to continue to support the family, I strongly advise you to start taking care of yourself. Take it from me, you're the one who needs looking after, not Mrs Wilson.’
    The twins were howling when Gerry joined Teddy outside, and it wasn’t until Emma and Sarah were in bed and peace reigned once more that Gerry was able to talk to her sister about the visit to the doctor. She felt dreadfully guilty about the whole thing since her only reason for going had been in order that Teddy should have professional advice.
    ‘Of course Dr Meadows has get it all wrong,' she said as she peeled some potatoes. Teddy had joined her in the kitchen and was helping with the meal—that in itself was rare because at this time in the evening with the children in bed, Teddy usually flopped down on the settee declaring herself ‘frazzled’. Teddy pottering around the kitchen when she should be resting in no way lessened Gerry’s feeling of guilt.
    ‘I don’t know,' Teddy said thoughtfully. ‘I hadn’t noticed before—but you are a bit scraggy.’
    Gerry’s guilt dissolved into laugher. ‘With that kind of sisterly remark, I reckon I can do without your help in the kitchen! ’
    Teddy’s own laughter joined hers, and Gerry was arrested by it. Teddy hadn’t laughed very much lately— and she gave sufficient thought to wonder if Paul Meadows’ tonic hadn’t needed to come out of a medicine bottle.
     

CHAPTER THREE
    Having set her alarm to go off fifteen minutes earlier than usual, Gerry was in a deep sleep when