Doctor Who_ Camera Obscura - Lloyd Rose [103]
‘Yes,’ said Chiltern. ‘I had the same idea myself. I felt rather in the way here, frankly.’
‘I wouldn’t say that. But it’s true there’s not much you can do. And I thought it would be better for Miss Jane at Mrs Hemming’s house.’ The Doctor glanced back at Constance, who was sitting with her hands in her lap, head down. ‘I hope things will be different for her when this time problem is solved.’
‘Do you really believe they will?’
‘It should make some sort of difference. The stresses aggravated her condition. Millie couldn’t come out on her own before, only in the trances.’
‘But she isn’t disturbed so much by the fact that the other one can emerge at will as by the knowledge that there is another one. Her very sense of self is disrupted.’
‘Yes,’ said the Doctor unhappily. ‘Existential shock.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I’m sorry, never mind. What about you?’
‘Me?’
‘You’ve had the same sort of revelation, after all.’
‘That I’m only a piece of a whole, you mean. And with no true memories. Well, I’ve had my little nervous episode. And now here I am.’ Chiltern looked at him with weary frankness. ‘I suppose I shall just continue on as before. I seem to have stood in for Sebastian quite effectively at the clinic.’
‘He did it out of love,’ the Doctor said abruptly.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Sebastian. He wanted you to be well. He thought he could do that for you. Make things right.’
‘Yes.’ Chiltern’s eyes focused on some private sorrow. ‘Why should he be whole when I wasn’t? I understand.’
‘He never meant for this dreadful thing to happen to you.’
‘Good intentions,’ said Chiltern grimly.
‘Unintended consequences,’ said the Doctor. ‘Forgive him if you can.’
Chiltern smiled with bitter amusement. ‘What makes you think he’s the one who needs to be forgiven?’
The Doctor frowned bewilderedly, but before he could say anything the train whistle sounded in the distance and Chiltern turned and hurried back to Miss Jane. The Doctor watched him gather the luggage and, when the train arrived, escort her on. Two people with only partial existences. How nice if life were a fairy tale: they would be two halves of one whole, meant for each other. I could make a decent living, the Doctor thought, as a writer of sentimental fiction. He allowed himself a moment to admire the departing locomotive. One of the best things about the nineteenth century, no doubt about it.
A heavy arm fell across his shoulders. ‘Bidding adieu, Doctor?’
‘Just seeing Chiltern and Miss Jane off.’
‘Back to London?’
‘They would have been underfoot.’
‘You certainly hurried them away.’
The Doctor tried to shrug. It was difficult under that weighty arm.
‘Shall I tell you what I think?’ said Sabbath conversationally.
‘Can I stop you?’
‘No.’ Sabbath strolled towards the far end of the platform, propelling the reluctant Doctor along with him.
‘Can it wait? We really should be on our way to the machine.’
‘Ah yes, of which you so ingeniously gained the location. I wonder, did Sebastian Chiltern tell you anything else of interest?’
‘Such as?’
Sabbath spun the Doctor to face him, keeping a massive hand on his shoulder. ‘That train’s first stop is Newton Abbot in twenty minutes. I could be there in the Jonah well in time to intercept your friends and bring them back here.’
‘What for?’
Sabbath shifted his grip to the Doctor’s shirt front and shoved him hard against the station wall. The Doctor grunted. If the staff down the platform in the ticket office heard anything, they didn’t check to see what it was. Released, the Doctor smoothed his shirt fastidiously.
‘Bit testy today, aren’t you? Bad night? Temper, temper,’ he said warningly as Sabbath took