Doctor Who_ The Bodysnatchers - Mark Morris [42]
'Not built exactly,' said the Doctor.'Grown outside the womb in a controlled environment, engineered, augmented...'
'By spacemen?' said Litefoot.
'Aliens, yes,' said the Doctor.
litefoot let out a long sigh. 'I don't mind admitting I'm somewhat out of my depth. If I hadn't seen what I've seen with my own eyes I'm sure I would think you both quite deranged.'
'Do you know who the aliens are then, Doctor?' Sam asked.
'There are several possibilities.' The Doctor held up a hand, thumb extended, evidently to reel off a list of alien races that would mean nothing to either Sam or the professor, when he was interrupted by a pounding on the door. 'Expecting company, Professor?' he asked.
'Not at this hour,' Litefoot replied, but the Doctor was already jumping to his feet. Sam saw him reaching into his jacket pocket in search of his sonic screwdriver, and eager to make amends for earlier she shoved herself out of her seat and went after him.
'Wait a moment, Doctor. I'll bring my revolver,' Litefoot called, but the Doctor was already running out of the door and into the hallway. Sam was only a few paces behind him, but she faltered slightly when she saw the dark silhouette of a figure pressed against the glass on the other side of litefoot's front door, arms held upright in a cruciform position.
Then the figure drew its fists back and pounded on the door again.A female voice cried,'Let me in! Let me in!'
'Careful, Doctor,' warned Sam, but the Doctor had already pocketed his sonic screwdriver and was unlocking and unbolting the front door.As he pulled the door open, the figure on the other side of it lunged towards him.
The Doctor caught the girl as she fell, and half-dragged, half-carried her into the house. Sam rushed forward to close the front door through which a chill winter wind was blowing.
'Good Lord!' exclaimed Litefoot, appearing from the sitting room brandishing a revolver. Quickly recovering his composure, he put the weapon down on the lid of a wicker laundry basket that was sitting in the hall and hurried to help the Doctor. He glanced at the girl's dirty, scratched feet and shins below her nightdress with alarm and concern .Then he manfully took hold of the girl's ankles and lifted her feet clear of the floor.
Together, he and the Doctor carried her through to the sitting room and laid her gentry down on a chaise longue.
'Sam, would you fetch me a blanket, a towel and a bowl of warm water?
The professor will show you where everything is. Professor, would you make Miss Seers a hot drink?'
'Certainly, Doctor,' said Litefoot. 'You know this young lady, then?'
'Emmeline Seers. Her father owns the factory where Tom Donahue worked.'
'Ah,' Litefoot said sagely. He and Sam left the room to do the Doctor's bidding.
'Emmeline,' said the Doctor gently. Since tumbling into the house, the girl appeared to have retreated into herself. Her eyes were glassy with shock, and her breathing was quick and stertorous, as if she was on the verge of hyperventilating. Gently the Doctor pushed aside a curtain of sweat-damp, fog-smelling hair that was plastered to her forehead. 'Emmeline, can you hear me?'
Her eyes flickered, then she reached out and clutched the Doctor's sleeve.'Please, keep him away,' she hissed.
'Who?' the Doctor asked.'Your father? Is that who you mean?'
'He is not my father.' Her body tensed, and the Doctor placed his hands lightly on her shoulders as though to hold her down in her seat.'He is the devil incarnate.'
The Doctor put his arm around her, tried to comfort her, though her body was ramrod-straight, the muscles in her back and shoulders so tensed they seemed hard as concrete. He was still in the same, slightly awkward position when Sam and Litefoot re-entered the room. Sam was carrying a tin bowl from which steam was rising. She had a towel draped over her right arm and a woolly blanket slung over her left shoulder. The professor was carrying a tea tray on which was a delicate china cup and saucer, two jugs, and a sugar bowl protected