Doctor Who_ Camera Obscura - Lloyd Rose [102]
‘He saved my life when he removed my heart,’ he retorted, equally angry. ‘Taking it for himself wasn’t done as any favour to me!’
She looked down briefly, as if acknowledging his point, but only said, ‘And so now you’re the same.’
‘He wouldn’t be any happier than I am to hear you put it that way, but on one level yes, we are. The only reason I came to a bit earlier is that my physical stamina is greater.’
She cocked an unflatteringly sceptical eye at him, and he knew she was comparing his slenderness to Sabbath’s massive stature. A greyhound to a mastiff. ‘It’s true,’ he said, a shade defensively. ‘And the fact that I’m up and about, stab wound and all I might add, means that he’s probably in better shape than I am.’
She actually seemed slightly ashamed. ‘It’s that I thought you were meaning to kill him.’
‘I know,’ he said. ‘I meant for you to. It was my doing. I had to go there, you see.’
‘To the back of the wind?’
‘Yes.’
‘You could have done the thing yourself.’
‘I don’t know. I’ve never stabbed myself. If I’d flinched at the last minute, everything would have been ruined.’
‘So you made me hurt him!’
‘I’m sorry. It had to be done. And you’ve helped him more than hurt him. That’s the way it works, sometimes. He’d be the first to tell you it’s not always nice.’
To his surprise, he saw tears on her face. She turned away, wiping at them angrily with her hand. ‘You took my feeling for him and turned it to harm him. It’s heartless you are, no matter how many beat in your chest.’
‘I’m not human.’
She shuddered, and he looked away. ‘I’ll tell you this,’ he said. She shot him a sullen glance. He took her hand and held on to it when she tried to jerk free. ‘It is not my intention to hurt Sabbath. I admit, I don’t mind it when he gets bounced around a bit – it’s my own weakness; I let him get to me. But I have never set out to kill him. Thwart him, yes. Annoy him, certainly. Make him jump about in frustration and rage, absolutely. Greatly to be desired. But kill him or harm him wilfully, no.’ He released her hand. ‘You needn’t believe me, but it’s the truth. Now I’m going to the station. Come and fetch me if he’s ready before I’m back.’
* * *
Constance Jane sat on the bench on the railway platform beside Dr Chiltern, thinking of the things she had told him and that he had told her. They were both silent now. He was deep in thought, but she felt as if all thought had left her. All feeling too. She refused to hope. Hope made the damage worse.
Her emptiness was like a thick transparent wall around her. On the far side of it was a fine summer’s day, all soft air and golden light. A stand of purple-pink foxgloves bloomed on the other side of the railroad tracks. She stared at them remotely, curious about their beauty, to which she felt she ought to be having some reaction. But what?
Chiltern stood up. Turning, she saw the Doctor hurrying down the platform, clearly relieved at not having missed them. He looked, paradoxically, both wan and invigorated, his step a little weak but his unusual eyes bright. He tipped his hat to her and shook Chiltern’s hand.
‘I’m glad I didn’t miss you.’
‘So am I,’ said Chiltern. ‘Though I had counted on seeing you in London once this is over.’
‘You still will. How are you, Miss Jane?’
She smiled faintly. ‘I’m fine.’
The Doctor seemed doubtful, but he didn’t pursue it. With a polite ‘Excuse us’ to her, he drew Chiltern to the end of the platform.
‘Anji told me how helpful you were when I was... ill. Thank you.’
‘It was the least I could do. You seem very much better now,’ Chiltern added curiously. The Doctor only smiled. ‘What are you going to do now? Go and destroy the machine?’ The Doctor nodded. ‘Extraordinary,’ Chiltern sighed. ‘I have absolutely no memory of that Welsh house.’
‘No,’ said the Doctor sympathetically.
‘Is the machine so dangerous?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘But you said it doesn’t even work properly.’
‘It doesn’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘It’s missing a piece, one of the mirrors.’
‘Lost forever, I hope.’
The Doctor turned his unreadable eyes on