Disclaimer: Doc Martin is the property of Buffalo Pictures. I own nothing except my overactive imagination.

A Liberated Woman

Chapter 25

"I don't see why everyone seems to assume that part of the responsibility of being the GP in this village is having to get embroiled in time wasting activities such as being a school governor. It seems that stupid bloody Elaine agreed on my behalf, when she'd never even consulted me on the matter. I'd have informed her that I have far more important things to occupy my time," Martin grumbled to me one evening as we sat and had supper together.

He had been even grumpier, terse and rude than usual with everyone of late, and I put it down to the fact that undoubtedly he kept seeing Louisa and Danny out together, and had to listen to all the gossip that was flying around about how close they were becoming again. And I guessed that he felt very jealous, yet frustrated and helpless to do anything about his feelings. So in his usual way of dealing with things, he just got nasty and irritable, and he could have a very cruel and wicked tongue on him at times.

"Goes with the territory I'm afraid Martin, being part of the community, so you'll just have to get on with it," I informed him.

"Yes, well, it means that I've now been roped in to sit on the wretched interview panel for the new Head Teacher," he continued with his grumbling.

"Oh right – and Louisa is one of the candidates, isn't she?" I said, remembering our conversation in the pub.

"Yes, she is."

"That's good."

"Not really no. She seems to think…she's been very…she's not…"

"What?"

"Well, first of all she was extremely unhelpful about looking after the Cronk boy when his mother had to be admitted to hospital following her accident, because she claimed she was too busy preparing for her job interview. So he ended up staying with me, which was most inconvenient, when clearly she was far more suited to the task."

"Why was she more suited than you?"

"Because she's a woman! That's what women are supposed to do isn't it, look after children, especially a teacher like her."

"Oh Marty, that's a terribly old fashioned view!"

He really did have some views from the ark, he needed a jolly good shake up to sort him out I felt. And of course, Louisa was just the woman to do this in my opinion. She really could be very good for him, if only they could get it together instead of constantly bickering as they inevitably seemed doomed to do. I thought he also needed shaking up in a few other areas too. Louisa had clearly awoken feelings in him that he'd kept suppressed for far too long, which was simply not healthy – not if he was a normal red blooded male with normal urges, and I was sure this 'suppressing' was what often led to him being so irascible.

"And then she had the gall to criticize me just because of what the boy was watching on the television to keep him occupied, while I was busy cooking and cleaning up after him– some sort of educational DVD he'd told me it was, but oh no, Miss High and Mighty deemed it unsuitable, just because it mentioned 'virgin's eyeball'."

"It what…?"

"Mind you, she always seems to think she knows better than anyone else about her precious pupils, she's completely ignored my advice, and has allowed the impetigo cases to attend school, so now we're going to have God knows how many more new cases," Martin was getting into his stride for his ill tempered rant - Louisa seemed to have really wound him up.

"Then she had the nerve to try and wheedle herself into my good books, sat here bold as brass, drinking my coffee, then tried to suck up to me, just to make sure she got my vote for the Head Teacher vacancy. Well I soon put her right about that, told her she would get my vote – only if she was indeed the best candidate for the job."

"Oh for heavens sake Marty…"

"She didn't like that I can tell you, went off in a huff just because I'd worked it out. She thinks I'd fall for that, just because we've…she thinks she can…you know," he blustered. Whatever kind of romantic clinch had gone on between these two previously was clearly still on Martin's mind.

"That really doesn't sound like Louisa to me Martin, she's not like that at all. I think it far more likely that maybe she was just trying to be friendly and sociable, maybe because she actually likes you – has that ever occurred to you? Why do you always have to be so suspicious of people's motives?" I was sure that Martin had misread the signals here, but I was also well aware that he had had good cause over the years to mistrust people.

"Well why else would she be all friendly to me when she's seeing that …that architect chap? What she sees in that sanctimonious little twerp I can't imagine, but if that's her choice…"

Now we were at the heart of the matter, the real reason why he'd been so off with Louisa. Suddenly I could see the hurt and vulnerability in his eyes as he let his guard down for just a few seconds.

"They're old friends, went to school together, known each other for years, so they're bound to want to catch up. That doesn't necessarily mean they're an item," I tried to reassure him, although I had to admit that I had seen them together an awful lot recently.

"None of my business anyway. It is of no interest or concern to me who Miss Glasson chooses to consort with," he lied, and the guard now came back up again on his emotions.

"Don't give up on her just yet hmm? Maybe you should try to be…nice…to her rather than so bloody stroppy!" I tried to advise him.

"Nice? You know me Auntie Joan. I speak as I find, tell it how it is, but I'm afraid I don't really do 'nice', it's just not me. So if Louisa Glasson can't handle hearing the truth, I can't help that. I will give her, and the other candidates a fair hearing at the job interview, and if in my opinion, she is the most adequate candidate, then she will get my vote. That's far better than being nice, that's being fair isn't it? She can't ask for more than that," Martin stated.

"No, Martin, I don't suppose she can," I wearily agreed, not feeling up to arguing with him any more.

xXx

Louisa must have been at least 'adequate' at the interview, because she got the job. She was now Portwenn's new Head Mistress, and I was very pleased for her, as I told her when I bumped into her in the village.

"Congratulations on your new job, Louisa! Wonderful news, well done!"

"Thanks Joan, I'm very pleased, although I must say I was a little surprised to be offered the position after the hard time I had of it at the interview, thanks to your nephew," she told me with a rather disgruntled expression. "Seems he somehow managed to give the impression to the interview panel that I had ignored his instructions for the children with impetigo, when if he'd only bothered to listen to me, he'd have known that I followed his instructions to the letter!"

"Seeing as you got the job, clearly you managed to correct that impression?" I pointed out.

"Well yes, but I don't think Martin is very happy with me all the same. I personally invited him to come along to my celebratory drinks, but he slunk off back to his surgery rather than come down and join us. Still, that's his choice I suppose," she told me with a sigh.

"Oh I'm sure it was nothing personal Louisa. You know Martin, not exactly a party animal is he? But I'm sure he's pleased for you. He certainly wouldn't have given you his vote if he hadn't thought you were the best candidate for the job. He may have many faults, but he is very honest, we at least have to give him that," I tried to defend my nephew.

"Brutally honest actually, is how I would describe him Joan, to the point of being cruel and unkind. Maybe sometimes he would be better off just keeping his thoughts and opinions to himself," she replied somewhat haughtily, as she now took her leave, and made her way towards the school.

And of course, then I remembered what Marty had let slip about his remarks concerning her dental hygiene following some sort of liaison between them. The stupid boy had clearly really hurt Louisa's feelings and so had sabotaged their budding relationship. And then I also saw Danny heading in the same direction, hurrying after her carrying a large bunch of beautiful flowers, and I thought for sure then that any romance between Martin and Louisa had definitely been nipped in the bud.

xXx

I still visited Muriel several times a week, reassured that she had settled in and was very happy indeed at High Trees. Of course terrible gossip that she was, she still liked to hear all the latest news from the village, but now she had some news of her own that she was bursting to tell me. Danny was definitely planning to stay permanently in Cornwall, she told me. We'd had several discussions concerning her son and Louisa, and Mu was delighted to see Danny's renewed interest in his childhood sweetheart. She felt that if Danny rekindled his relationship with Louisa, it would encourage him to abandon any plans to return to London, now that she would definitely be staying here in the village as Head Teacher.

"Don't you see Joan, it's all falling into place for my boy, I really think he means to settle down here in Cornwall, and then I'll be able to see so much more of him," she told me excitedly.

"But what about his career in London?" I queried. I thought that she was just fooling herself; that a very ambitious man like Danny would not be content to settle in such a rural backwater.

"Oh he's told me that he's got all that worked out, says he thinks it's all in God's plan for him, having to come down here when he did and meeting up with Louisa again. He can set up his own architects firm down here, Danny says there's lots of work, designing barn conversions, that kind of thing, and with all the internet and computer links, he says you can really work from anywhere these days,"

"I suppose that's true" I had to concede.

"And he's so fed up with London, he's had enough of that rat race and of course with Louisa here too….You know I think he might even propose to her before too long, he's been dropping all sorts of hints, so I've told him he can have the house, do what he likes with it. And did you hear him on the radio this week? They wanted him every day for 'National Home Improvement Week' because he's such an expert, he's got such a wonderful talent for decorating and all that kind of thing. It would be just perfect for them to live in that house and raise a family, I'm sure Louisa would be thrilled. Oh just think, they could bring my grandchildren up here to see me all the time, and of course they'd have such beautiful children together wouldn't they?" she continued, as she hugged herself happily.

I forced a smile onto my face and tried not to be jealous for what seemed to be the answer to all of Muriel's prayers, even if it would be mine – and I was sure Martin's – worst nightmare.