Chapter 38
Sunday was fit for neither man nor beast. Pouring rain and gales made any thought of going out untenable.
Martin retreated to his surgery and began looking again at the clock he was tinkering with. Louisa put in another load of laundry and retired to the couch with her book.
Lunch, followed later by dinner, was the most excitement either of them saw. Thankfully for Martin there weren't any home visits to deal with and he managed to get a good way through repairing the clock.
The whole of the next week was similarly afflicted by stormy weather. Louisa had to work hard just to walk to school, battling against the wind. Coming home she had to fight to stay upright and not get pushed into running. Martin felt guilty when he saw the state of her, but he was tied to the surgery during open hours.
Nothing eventful happened in the village and appointments tailed off on most days while the weather was this stormy.
On Friday night after they'd eaten Louisa put the TV on to catch the weather forecast. Their local station was predicting no rain and only light wind for both Saturday and Sunday. She relayed this news to Martin who was washing up. "Do you want to go out over the weekend?"
"Do you?" was his rejoinder.
Louisa nodded. "I'm sick of being stuck in all the time. Do you fancy a run to Falmouth? If the weather turns at least there's a shopping arcade we can wander about in."
"We'll go Sunday. That way we can get an earlier start and won't have to worry too much about traffic. If you're a good girl, I'll buy you dinner out!" he promised with a grin.
"Look at you, living dangerously, for that it will be a slap-up meal in one of the best places you can find."
Martin bowed slightly in her direction, "Yes, milady."
She got up and went across to him, hugging him and saying an ordinary place would do, and that she was joking.
"No, to tell the truth, I want to go out as well and a day off will be just the thing. I'll go and call Chris to see if he can get Dr Lewis to cover for me."
"Hi Chris, it's Martin Ellingham. No, nothing's wrong I just wondered if it is too late for you to get Dr Lewis to cover for me on Sunday? I thought I'd take Louisa across to Falmouth for the day. Obviously if he's got his own plans, ours can be rescheduled."
Chris promised to contact Lewis and tell Martin yea or nae later that evening. They chatted about the state of the surgery, patients in general and families.
"By the way Chris, Louisa's pregnant."
There was an explosion at the other end. "What? Er, congratulations Martin. Is everything well? Wait until I tell Carol, she'll be over the moon. When's it due?"
The questions came rapidly like gunfire as an astounded Chris took in the ramifications. "You'll have to let me know early if you want to take more than the usual paternity leave." Chris was very attentive to details like that. Besides he knew how hard it was to get locums to cover Portwenn for short periods of time.
"Right Martin, give me an hour and I'll find out about Sunday for you. I can't wait to tell Carol."
Sure enough, an hour later the phone went and Chris was able to tell Martin that he could have this Sunday off, provided that the following Sunday he covered for Lewis. Martin was agreeable to that and he was saying thank you to Chris when Carol shouted "let me speak to him."
Carol came on the phone and said "Martin, congratulations on your good news! I'm delighted for you. Is Louisa there, can I speak to her?"
Martin held out the phone to Louisa and stepped back. "Hello Carol, good to talk to you." Louisa smiled as she spoke and listened to the congratulations flowing in from the other end of the phone. "Yes, it was a surprise to us too." "July, just before the summer holidays, actually." "No, I've decided to take my full leave to be with the baby." "Oh, you know Martin, full doctor mode one-minute, apprehensive father the next." "Seriously though, we're both delighted."
"Carol, you and Chris must come through for lunch one day, when the weather picks up." She listened to Carol and said "Of course you can bring your two. No problem. Right, well I'll be in touch to arrange this properly. Bye for now." She rang off and watched Martin frowning at her.
"What? There's nothing wrong in inviting them over, Martin. You told me he was your best friend, and Carol sounds nice enough. I didn't get much of a chance to talk properly to them at the wedding, so why not?"
"Yes, Chris is my best friend, my only friend if it comes to that. He's also my boss and somehow I feel we should keep a distance between us."
Louisa dealt with this response succinctly. "Rubbish, Martin."
She settled on the couch and picked up her book while Martin reached for his BMJ. After an hour or so Louisa got up saying, I'm going for a soak in the bath. Then I'll have an early night."
"Hmm. I'm going to finish this and then I'll be up too." Martin waved his magazine and watched her beautiful figure climbing the stairs. He shook himself out of his reverie and turned his attention back to the journal.
He'd read through several more articles before he heard the water running away from the bath. He stood up and stretched himself. Moving around the house he locked the doors and filled a water glass before going upstairs. Louisa was sat on the side of the bed brushing her chestnut hair. He smiled fondly at her while putting the water on his bedside cabinet. His thoughts whirled as he looked at her, incredulous to think that not only were they married, but she was carrying his baby.
He took off his suit, tie and shirt, meticulously hanging the suit and tie back in his wardrobe. "I'm going for a shower."
Louisa finished her night-time routine and climbed into bed, to wait.
Sunday morning found them on the road to Falmouth. It would take them just over an hour to get there. Louisa looked out of the windows and thought back to this time last year. She'd gone through a fairly lonely Christmas and New Year. Martin hadn't asked her to go out with him and although she'd put in appearances at the pub and various parties had not seen him out and about. She'd heard, through Joan, that Danny Steel might be back later on in the year. Danny Steel, he'd been her first boyfriend and they'd been at school together.
She'd had hopes, back then, of becoming his girlfriend and then possibly marrying him. What a lucky escape!
Pulling her thoughts back to the present she glanced across at Martin, who was concentrating on his driving. He looked debonair and handsome in his new suit. Crisp blue shirt with matching dark tie completed his look. She smiled though, that he couldn't relax enough to buy, let alone wear, any casual clothes. She pictured him in a pair of jeans with an Aran white jumper on and trainers. Hey-ho, a girl can dream!
"Are you warm enough, Louisa? I can put the heating up a notch?"
"I'm fine, thanks, Martin. It looks like the weather will be sunny, but a bit cool when we get there. I'm glad I put a T-shirt on under this jumper. I certainly don't want to get too warm now, though." Martin was proud of how she looked. Black slacks, red jumper, earrings and black handbag. Her boots were supportive of her feet, and he acknowledged that she looked stunning.
"Would you like some music? I can tolerate some easy listening stuff, if you want that on?"
Louisa looked at him, tempted to ask him to put Radio 1 on. "What CD's have you got?"
He indicated the glove compartment, so she opened it and picked several out. Looking through them she saw they were all classical (surprise, surprise). One caught her eye, Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite. "I've not seen this one Martin, is it good?"
"Yes, I only bought that a couple of months ago. I've enjoyed most of what I've listened to. Put it on, I think you'll like it too."
She did as she was told and inserted the cd, then settled back to listen. After a few minutes she looked in surprise at him. "I'd never have picked this for you. It seems to bounce along, doesn't it?"
He smiled, "I confess I was expecting something a little different, but I was pleasantly surprised."
They listened as the cd wound its way through the canyon.
"I enjoyed that, Martin." Louisa was pleased to find she could relate to at least one of the recordings of classical music he favoured.
"I'll get parked in one of the centre car-parks and we can wander about without having to worry about leaving the car in a narrow road. Is there anywhere you'd particularly like to go?"
"I've not been here for years, but I think there are several art galleries, book shops and other smaller shops. Shall we just wander and see what there is?"
"Fine."
They parked up and Louisa put on her padded winter coat while Martin donned an overcoat. Taking Louisa's arm, they went into town. "We need a cup of tea first," said Louisa "and then plan which way we're going."
They went into a café where they ordered tea for both and a scone for Louisa. Her eyes sparkled at him to dare comment. The café had tourist information which proved useful. The first of several galleries was on the right-hand side of the road as they went towards the town centre. Although it was a Sunday in February, the gallery was open.
They wandered about looking at the paintings and one or two sculptures. Louisa pointed out a landscape which looked like a quarry, with huge boulders laid about and deep gouges taken out of the hillside. "Not sure if I could live with that," she remarked to Martin. "Hmm."
Nothing else caught their attention so they moved on. They found a book shop open so ventured inside. Martin asked the assistant about old medical text books and was shown to a small area devoted to them. Louisa was surprised as she thought the subject area would be too narrow and specialised for them to hold any such books in stock.
For herself, old books did not have the appeal of say, a new Ruth Rendell, but she was happy to browse and wait for Martin. He finished looking at the medical books and then asked about horology books. He was directed to a new section, so Louisa picked up a G.K. Chesterton novel of Father Brown. There was a small table and a chair in one corner of the shop and, making herself comfortable she began to read. The book was certainly not anything like the TV show she'd watched but it was hooking her attention.
A dark shadow fell across the page and she looked up to see Martin waiting for her. "Do you want that book, Louisa?"
She looked at it and then nodded. They paid for it and left. "It's grabbed my attention, even though it's nothing like the tele," she told him. He just looked mystified.
They wandered on, occasionally looking into clothes shops, or jewellers, all of them closed. They came at last to another art gallery and went inside. This one, seemed to them, to be of a higher standard than the previous establishment. The artworks were better lit and of a superior quality. Slowly they made their way to the rear of the shop, discussing the paintings as they went. There were some prints of paintings done by a northern artist. Louisa laughed to see the stylised rectangular sheep. The working men trudging to work also caught her attention. Somehow, they had a look of solid determination about them.
Martin moved on and stood before a seascape. The artist had caught the sparkle in the waves as well as the lazy journey to shore. When Louisa joined him, he said, "Can see that anytime I stand on the patio and look in the harbour."
Louisa asked the assistant if there were toilets available and was glad that there were. She moved off and Martin took the opportunity to buy some of the pictures she liked, in postcard form. He put them in his pocket out of sight.
They walked along holding hands, stopping every now and then when something caught their eye. Martin was noticeably more relaxed than he had been, in Portwenn. Every now and then they caught a glimpse of the bay and harbour. Falmouth is situated at the mouth of the river Fal where the natural harbour is the third biggest in the world. The views were beautiful.
Eventually they went back towards the centre with Martin leading the way to Killigrew Street where he entered an establishment called the Nude Café. As they got seated, he explained that the food was of a healthy natural variety consisting of poke bowls, burritos, salads and flatbreads.
When she looked at the menu she was delighted with the foods on offer, especially as many were garnished with flowers, as well as the usual salads. This level of sophistication was not something seen in Portwenn! Her happy face turned towards Martin, "Did you know about this or have you researched it?"
"Chris told me about it when I was on the phone to him," he explained.
"One to him, then. Please thank him from me, next time you call."
They lingered over their meal and drinks before once again braving the outdoors. This time they meandered back towards the car, but still looking at the galleries and some specialist shops as they went.
The sun was going down when they climbed gratefully into the Lexus. "Martin, I've had a lovely day, thank you." She leaned over and kissed him.
He smiled and said, "It's not over yet."