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Isobel rolled up her sleeve. The area on her arm where the Mantoux test had been administered was red and sore looking but there was no hard lump, indicating a reaction to the tuberculin test.
‘Good. That’s very good. I’m happy to say that your test is negative, Isobel. Just as you said.’
‘Thanks. That’s good.’ Tears suddenly welled in Isobel’s eyes.
‘Were you worried about the test?’
Isobel stared at her, wiping her face with the cuff of her blazer.
‘Do you have any other symptoms? A cough?’
‘No.’
‘Do you wake up in the night, sweating?’
‘No. I never wake up in the night.’
‘And you’ve not lost any weight recently?’
‘No!’ Thea jumped as Isobel shouted the word. ‘There’s nothing. I’m okay. You said so, the test’s negative.’
‘Isobel, something’s the matter. You didn’t turn up for your appointment this morning, and now you’re crying.’
‘It happens.’ Isobel was rocking in her chair now, tears running down her cheeks. Thea tried to put her arm around her shoulders but Isobel batted her away.
Thea was at a loss. She’d done what she had to do and Isobel’s test was negative. But she couldn’t let her go, not while she was obviously so distressed. On the other hand, if Isobel decided to leave, she couldn’t think of a valid reason for stopping her.
A quiet knock sounded on the door. Thea called for whoever it was to come in, and Lucas’s head appeared. ‘Can I speak to you a moment?’
‘Yes.’ Whatever it was he wanted, Thea was grateful for the interruption. Time to think. ‘Isobel, will you wait here, please? Just one minute.’
‘Anything the matter?’ He waited until Thea had closed the consulting-room door behind her. ‘I heard shouting.’
‘I don’t know. Her test’s negative, but she’s very distressed. She won’t say what’s wrong, but I think it may be something to do with being tested.’
He pursed his lips. ‘You want me to bring some tea for her?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe.’
‘Would you like me to try her?’
Thea shrugged. ‘Well, you can’t do any worse than I’ve been doing so far.’
‘I’ll get some tea, then. Go and sit with her.’
Isobel didn’t seem any more inclined to talk when Thea returned to the room, and she was still crying. Quietly and steadily, like a long wail of anguish. In Thea’s experience, that kind of crying came from despair.
Five minutes later Lucas appeared, three cups of tea balanced in his hands. He sat down behind the desk, pushing two of the cups towards Thea and Isobel and keeping one for himself.
‘Right. Isobel.’
Isobel looked at him mutely.
‘I’ve brought you a cup of tea because we might need to wait here for a while.’ Clearly Lucas reckoned that he could outlast Isobel. Maybe he could.
‘I can’t. I have to get home. I can’t be late.’ Isobel sniffled at him.
‘All right. So we’ve got a problem. I reckon you can do with some help. I’d like to help you, but I can’t unless you tell me how.’
