Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [42]
included.’
‘Don’t mention it.’ The Doctor smiled.
‘God.’
‘Any word on Jack Prudhoe?’ asked Lawrence.
Lawrence sat on the edge of the bed and took Betty’s Lowcock shook his head. ‘No. Nor Dr Shearsmith.’
feverish hand in his. ‘She reckons he’d be alive today if she Lawrence sighed. ‘Robin, can you stay with your mum hadn’t interfered.’
while we’re away?’
The Doctor had taken Betty’s pulse and temperature.
Nodding, Robin resumed his place by the bedside.
‘What did you give her?’ he asked Jill.
Lawrence and Lowcock left the room, discussing the
‘Just some of her own sleeping pills.’
relative merits of the infirmary and the general hospital.
The Doctor nodded, producing a tiny green bottle from
‘Fancy a pint?’ said Trevithick as he and the Doctor his trouser pocket. There was a soft plop as he unstoppered descended the stairs.
the bottle and waved it under Betty’s nose. For a moment,
‘Perhaps another time.’
everyone was aware of a sweet, heavy odour, and then
‘Not seen you around here before, have I?’
Betty seemed to sink into a deep sleep, her agitated limbs
‘No. My friend and I are just travelling in these parts.’
settling on to the blankets.
‘She’ll sleep properly now,’ said the Doctor, straightening Back in the bedroom, Robin’s ears pricked up as the up. ‘The nightmares have become much worse, then?’
Doctor’s words floated up the stairs. His friend? That girl
‘Progressively,’ said Lawrence. ‘But today... today was he’d been with earlier. The one with the long hair and the something different. I couldn’t make it out at first. But she lovely eyes. Robin smiled slightly to himself and looked says she’s seen Alf. His ghost.’
down at Betty’s peaceful form.
‘Ghost?’ The Doctor’s eyes flicked up.
Lawrence nodded and shrugged his shoulders. ‘I want her Trevithick had persuaded the Doctor to stay and returned to have professional help. I’m going over to York tonight. I from the bar with a ginger beer and a frothy Guinness.
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DOCTOR WHO: NIGHTSHADE
DOCTOR WHO: NIGHTSHADE
‘I say, Doctor, I wonder if I might ask your advice. I need The Doctor looked up as the door opened and a small, an objective opinion on all this.’ Trevithick raised his glass.
red-haired man came in. Still no Ace. ‘And you think this
‘Cheers.’
has something to do with Mrs Yeadon?’
‘Cheers. All what?’ The Doctor sipped his ginger beer and
‘I don’t know, Doctor. But now the phones are all out of sat down.
order and two people have gone missing. Lawrence told me
‘There are some funny things going on in this village, that Jack Prudhoe came in here yesterday afternoon. He saw Doctor. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I have this something out of the window and just ran outside. No one’s feeling... Good Lord, how rude of me. I haven’t even seen him since.’
introduced myself. I’m Trevithick.’
The Doctor looked away. ‘I’m sure there’s a perfectly
‘The engineer?’ said the Doctor brightly. ‘Oh, my dear rational explanation,’ he said unconvincingly.
fellow, I’ve always wanted to meet you... No. Wait. Wrong Trevithick looked disappointed that his new confidant century, isn’t it? Different chap.’
wasn’t more enthusiastic.
‘Edmund Trevithick,’ said the old man, rather crestfallen.
‘Excuse me a moment,’ said the Doctor, standing and
‘The actor. I used to be Professor Nightshade. D’you crossing to where Mrs Crithin was sitting, her mouth open remember?’
in mid-anecdote.
The Doctor gave another of his evasive smiles. ‘I get about
‘Hello, love,’ she said as the Doctor raised his hat.
a bit.’
Unseen by both, Robin crept to the bottom of the stairs.
‘Well, never mind. The thing is, last night, at the old folk’s
‘I was wondering whether you’d seen anything of my home where I’m billeted, someone broke in. Someone or young friend?’ said the Doctor.
something.’
Mrs Crithin pulled a face. ‘Not since this morning, love.
‘What are you getting