Dislaimer: A man cannot find new oceans unless he has
the courage to lose sight of the shore.
Altered Memory
Chapter 7 Part II: Different?
As Kaoru entered the house, Meg was just admitting Dr. Taseki at
the front door. Alarmed that something had happened while she had been at the
pool, she hurried forward. “Yoshida – she’s not fallen or something?”
“No, my dear, no one’s called me. This is more of a
social call. I thought it would be pleasant to visit for at least half an hour,
especially if Meg can produce some of her delicious scones.”
“You take the doctor to the sitting room, Kaoru. I’ll
have the scones in five minutes.” Molly hurried into the kitchen.
“You’ve been in the pool, I see.”
Half expecting his disapproval, she said defensively,
“Mr. Himura has already taken me to task for swimming.”
“Has he now? Well, I’d say you’ve got a sensible head
on your shoulders and I reckon you wouldn’t have gone in if you hadn’t felt up
to it. But do change first, it isn’t good to be in wet clothes for too long.”
He walked towards the sitting room and Kaoru obediently ran up the stairs.
It took her no longer than ten minutes to shower and
dress, so when she returned she was surprised to see Kenshin, his hair gleaming
damply, sitting with the two, and Tomoe nowhere in sight. She was very much
aware of his violet eyes raking over her as she entered the room quietly,
though she couldn’t read their expression, and she hoped that his being there
didn’t mean that he and his fiancée had quarreled.
Meg brought in the trolley and they all tucked into
her scones and light sponge cake.
“I can see both my patients are recovering their
appetite.” Dr. Taseki had been watchful. “in fact, I’d say Yoshida in
particular has picked up marvelously again.”
“Thanks to Kaoru.” Yoshida’s eyes twinkled at her
fondly. “She looks after me like a daughter, bullies me into obeying orders I
don’t even know she’s doing it most of the time.”
Kaoru flushed, denying the praise. “But I’ve done so
little. In fact, half the time you’ve had to look after me, Yoshida, and I feel
bad about that.” She could feel Kenshin’s eyes on her, accusingly she was sure,
though she couldn’t bring herself to look.
“And maybe that’s what wrought the miracle. You’ve
made her feel needed, Kaoru, given her a purpose,” Dr. Taseki said.
“And maybe you’re right at that,” Yoshida laughed.
“Whatever the cause, I do feel better.”
“And that’s all we’ve been waiting for.” The doctor
eyed Yoshida approvingly. “I think I can at last begin to set things in motion
for your operation, my dear.”
“But is my aunt really strong enough to face that
yet?” Kenshin demanded, and something in his voice had them looking at him
curiously. “There’s no sense in rushing things while she has Kaoru here to make
sure she doesn’t slip back.”
“But my dear boy, you were the one who talked me into
agreeing to have the operation. You were the one who advocated the least
possible delay, nagging me night and day to have a nurse to get me well as
quickly as possible. And I am well again.” Seeing Yoshida’s sparkling eyes and
teasing smile, Kaoru believed her. She had even put on a little weight.
Kenshin made a capitulating gesture. “All right. Of
course I want to see you walking again without pain again, Yoshida. And if
you’re sure you feel up to it…” His gaze lanced unexpectedly at Kaoru. “Just as
long as Kaoru doesn’t see the operation as a signal for her to go rushing back
to work for the relief agency.”
“But of course she mustn’t. I wouldn’t dream of
letting her go before she’s fully fit.” Yoshida said at once.
“No need to worry on that score,” Dr. Taseki said.
“It’ll be two or three weeks before the arrangements are complete to get
Yoshida admitted to hospital, say three weeks before she’s home again, and I’m
sure she’ll be glad of her nurse’s services for a couple of weeks after that.
That gives us another two months to get Kaoru up to strength again.”
“Two months! You really think two months is going to
make her fit enough to face all that again – the killing climate, privations,
disease, starvation, not to mention stray bombs and bullets?” Kenshin spoke
with a barely restrained violence.
Kaoru sat rigid in her chair, her hands clasped
together in her lap, aware of Yoshida’s surprise at her nephew’s outburst. “I’m
sure you’re right,” Yoshida agreed. “We must do all we can to persuade her to
stay on. Perhaps you and Tomoe could take her out sometimes, introduce her to
some younger people. If she meets a nice young man…”
Kaoru’s cheek burned because Yoshida seemed to be
telling her not to read too much into Kenshin’s outburst, reminding her he was
engaged. Remembering Kenshin’s appalled expression when he had seen her scars,
she wanted to reassure his aunt she need not have fears. Any concern Kenshin
displayed was only prompted by pity, but Dr. Taseki was already taking his
leave.
“Well, the longer you can persuade Nurse Kamiya to
stay, the better,” he said. “Though I’m happy with her progress. A bit of
gentle exercise, my dear. Do you ride?”
“I-I used to,” Kaoru admitted. “But it’s a long time
ago, and I don’t know if there are any riding stables around here.”
“I can find a mount for you,” Kenshin said tersely,
leaving with the doctor.
He didn’t return to the sitting room to enlarge on his
offer and after time, Kaoru thought he might forget it. She wished he hadn’t
caught her at the pool earlier, wished even more that she hadn’t been shaken
into talking to him of things she had never spoken to anyone before. I had
altered things between them. Much as his earlier antagonism had disturbed her,
it had been easier to fight than his pity. Any show of concern from him
weakened her defenses against him. He was engaged. It would be much better that
for her remaining time in Vine House, she should see as little of him as
possible.
But after she had helped Yoshida change for dinner and
had slipped on another of her clean but worn shirts, she accompanied her
employer downstairs to find both Kenshin and Tomoe waiting for them in the
sitting room. Tomoe looked very pretty, but it was to Kenshin that Kaoru’s eyes
were drawn. All of them looked very nice that evening and Kaoru was much too
aware of her shabby clothing. After settling Yoshida comfortably, she selected
a chair outside their charmed circle as Kenshin moved lithely from the drinks
tray to hand his aunt a glass of sherry.
“Won’t you let me get you a drink, Kaoru?” He turned
to her persuasively. “Sherry… martini… perhaps a glass of our own wine?”
“Thank you, no.” Kaoru shook her head firmly and was
surprised to see the angry tightening of his mouth.
“One small drink isn’t likely to send you off the
rails again, you know,” he grated in a voice too low for the others to hear,
but when Kaoru flinched, her eyes stricken, he muttered, “Oh hell! I’m sorry…”
“Is my fiancé telling you off again, Kaoru? Come and
sit over here by me, I’ll protect you.” Tomoe patted the sofa at her side but
her smile was strained, her voice too high to be natural. Kaoru did as she
asked.
“I understand Dr. Taseki’s given the okay for Aunt
Yoshida’s operation to go ahead,” Tomoe went on. “Does that mean you’ll be
leaving us soon to go back to the relief agency?”
Kaoru couldn’t help but be aware of the hope in the
other girl’s voice, even as she was aware of Kenshin’s dark brooding gaze on
her though she couldn’t bring herself to meet it.
“It’ll be a few weeks yet, but yes, as soon as
Yoshida’s fully recovered again,” she said quietly.
“I’ll have to let the rest of the family know as soon
as Dr. Taseki’s given me a date,” Yoshida joined in.
“I’ve already telephoned Misao this evening. I wanted
to give her time to arrange things to be here.” Kenshin said.
Yoshida looked amazed. “Misao! Kenshin dear, much as
I’d love to see her, it’s not necessary for her to come all the way from
Australia. It’s not as if I’m ill.”
“Sorry to disillusion you, my love.” Kenshin was
attempting to keep the whole thing light but not succeeding. “It isn’t entirely
on your account.” He replenished his glass and spilt some as if his hand was
not quite steady. “I told my sister you were here. She’s very keen to see you
before you disappear into the blue again.”
Kaoru’s startled eyes tried to read his expression
that seemed to register little beyond grim determination. And before she could
assimilate the news, Tomoe was saying with a surprise that was almost accusing,
“Kaoru knows your sister?”
There was an oddly charged silence that Kaoru hurried
to fill. “Misao and I were at school together, Tomoe, but we lost touch when–”
she hesitated and settled for the least complicated explanation, “–when I took
up nursing. I didn’t even know she lived in Australia.”
“She’s married already – Aoshi Shinomori – and helps
him run a vineyard many times the size of this one.” Kenshin stood in front of
her. He went on deliberately, “It’s been a very successful marriage, they’re
very happy. They have two small boys whom she’ll bring here, even if Aoshi
can’t make it.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened and a tinge of color stained her
cheeks. Was he trying to make her envious of Misao’s good fortune? Remembering
telling him that the other thing women took for granted – a husband and family
– were not for her. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing his
jibe had hurt.
“I’m very glad Misao found the right man. I never did
believe she was really in love with my stepbrother. She only imagined it
because–” she broke off, about to say, ‘because she knew I was in love with
you,’ and amended it to, “because she was only in love with love.”
“But if you knew Misao, you must have known Kenshin
too! But you behaved as if Kaoru was a stranger, Kenshin.” Tomoe was looking
from one to another.
And a stranger he didn’t at all like, Kaoru remembered tersely. “You must remember I was still a child when I
was at Merrifields.” She forced a smile for Tomoe. “You really couldn’t expect
him to remember the brat who used to pester him.”
Tomoe’s eyes still registered doubt as she turned to
her fiancé. “But you did remember her, didn’t you?” she said with uncanny
perception. “So why did you try to make us believe you didn’t.”
Lorna too was looking at Kenshin, waiting for an
answer. Kaoru found that she can’t speak.
“There had been – misunderstandings,” Kenshin said at
last. “Over the way, we lost touch with Kaoru.”
His answer relieved the tension, and Kaoru was sure
that Tomoe was curious as to what those ‘misunderstandings’ had been but the
woman didn’t ask. At that moment, Meg arrived with the dinner trolley.
That night, Kaoru slept heavily, more tired that she’d
been since her collapse by the time she got to bed after a day that seemed to
have been loaded with tension. Though the conversation had moved on to safer
topics, Kaoru had all too often been conscious of Kenshin’s brooding gaze on
her, yet every time her own eyes had been drawn to him, he had been looking
elsewhere.
All right! Misao is going to be here, people! Not just in
flashbacks! =) Do you think Tomoe’s catching on the “chemistry” between Kenshin
and Kaoru? This chapter’s not yet over, there’s still one part and all I can
say is KK! Yeah!
Sneak Peek!
“Stop flirting with Kaoru, . She’s much too wise to be
taken by it.”
Oooohhh… a blank. That’s supposed to be a name. But I
don’t want to reveal who it is just yet. Y’all just have to guess!!!