A Dream Rides By Read Online Free

Ling didn’t know what, before carefully moving his hands over her skull. Ling kept still, her head clearer now and the strange situation beginning to dawn on her. Here she was, alone with this most polite but nonetheless unknown person, who she was now allowing to remove her boot and sock. And yet somehow she felt perfectly at ease with him.
    ‘You seem . . . very young for a doctor,’ she faltered.
    He raised a bashful eyebrow at her. ‘I’m not a doctor,’ he admitted somewhat sheepishly. ‘At least, not yet. I’m a medical student. I’ve been assisting Dr Greenwood in Tavistock for the past year. But, next month, I’m off to London. To Guy’s. To become fully qualified. It’ll take years, mind. Now, can you push against my hand?’
    The examination was uncomfortable, but he was very gentle, his long fingers cool on her puffed ankle. He seemed unhurried and thorough, his lips softly pursed in concentration, and Ling felt disappointed when the door burst open and Barney marched back in with Arthur, Mary and Fanny on his heels.
    ‘Ling!’ her mother cried, flinging herself on her knees and wrapping her elder daughter in her arms.
    ‘No need to cry, Mother! I’m proper clever now.’
    Nevertheless, Mary’s shoulders shook convulsively, and it was Arthur who held out his hand. ‘We can’t believe what happened,’ he said gravely. ‘I must be thanking you, sir, from the bottom of my heart.’
    ‘You was that brave, sir, jumping down in front of the train like that!’ Mary added her gratitude as her husband vigorously shook the fellow’s hand.
    ‘Is that what you did?’ Ling suddenly remembered what the stationmaster had said about the young stranger having saved her, and she sat up abruptly, her eyes wide, aware of a shiver of pleasure slithering down her spine.
    ‘This young gentleman risked his own life to save yourn, and if he hadn’t, ’tis certain ’twould have been a wake and not a celebration we’d be having now! And as for you –’ Arthur spun round, his normally gentle demeanour flung to the four winds – ‘as her friend, and a young man at that, I expected you to take care on my daughter, not push her under a bloody train!’
    Barney had been standing grinding his teeth in black resentment at the praise being heaped upon the stranger, but now Ling noticed the colour flaming into his face. She knew that her father, usually such a mild man, must have been furious to have used such language. She saw Barney take a step backwards,but then brace his shoulders as youthful indignation flared within him.
    She had to go to his rescue. ‘Oh, it wasn’t Barney’s fault! The crowd was jostling and—’
    ‘Hmm.’ Arthur’s forehead pleated fiercely. ‘Well, I suggest you make yersel scarce for today, boy. We’ll take care on our daughter ourselves.’
    Barney lifted his chin, and Ling saw his eyes move beneath his swooping brows. He must have understood her father’s anger as he obediently backed out of the room, though with a churlish scowl on his face. Through the open door came the sound of the Tavistock Volunteer Band striking up the first rousing march with which it was to lead the procession of flag-waving children towards the centre of Princetown, cheered on by the gathered crowds who were not only celebrating the arrival of the new railway but the salvation of the young girl who had fallen into its path.
    Barney clenched his jaw and went to join them.

Four
    ‘I don’t think it’s broken, just badly sprained.’
    The young gentleman examining Ling’s ankle glanced up and his mouth widened into a smile, accentuating the strong line of his jaw and revealing evenly set teeth. Ling felt a thrill of excitement. He was so quiet and unassuming, as if putting his own life in danger to rescue others was something he did every day. He was obviously well educated – which was attractive to Ling in itself – and, although far above her in social rank, he put on no airs and graces. His