letter, you made the very precise statement: 'You have my assurance that your daughter will not be pressured, Mr. Kingsley, and will certainly not be expected to engage in any form of therapy unless she chooses to do so'?'
'I may have said something along those lines, but I can't vouch for the preciseness of the statement.'
'My client can, Dr. Protheroe. He is a cautious man and insists on having tapes made of every conversation that relates to his affairs. That is word for word what you said.'
Alan shrugged. 'All right. To my knowledge, those assurances have been honored.'
Kennedy removed a folded piece of paper from his pocket and consulted it. 'You sent my client a faxed letter last night in which you state: 'One idea I'd like to discuss is the possibility of a joint session where, under my guidance, you and Jinx can explore any rifts that may have developed between you.' May I ask if Miss Kingsley gave you permission to suggest this to her father? In other words, has she chosen to engage in such an activity?'
'Not yet. I thought it more sensible to seek his agreement first. There seemed little point in putting the idea to Jinx if her father wasn't prepared to take part.'
'Nevertheless, Dr. Protheroe, simply by suggesting a form of therapy, you have gone against my client's express instructions to leave his daughter to recover at her own speed. It is also clear from other statements in your fax that you have been encouraging Jane to talk about events that Mr. Kingsley asked you very specifically not to mention because he felt they would upset her.' He quoted extracts from the letter: ' 'She finds it difficult to talk about herself.' 'I have some problems understanding what compelled her to make an attempt on her life.' 'She retains a certain ambivalence following the death of her husband.' '
Alan shrugged again. 'I don't recall your client instructing me to keep his daughter in solitary confinement, Mr. Kennedy. Had he done so, I would most certainly not have agreed to take her.'
'You will have to explain those remarks, I'm afraid.'
'Jinx is an intelligent and articulate young woman. She is able and willing to participate in conversations. The only way to stop her talking would be to isolate her from everyone in the clinic. Is that what her father wants?' His eyes narrowed. 'To stop her
The little man chuckled. 'About what?'
'I don't know, Mr. Kennedy.' He balanced his pen between his fingers. 'But then I'm not the one who's worried. Your client is.'
'My client's concerns are entirely related to his daughter's welfare, Dr. Protheroe. He believes firmly that any rehashing of the past will be to Jane's disadvantage, a point emphasized for him this morning when she threatened him with an injunction over the telephone. He feels, quite reasonably, that this abrupt return to her previous antagonism is due to your refusal to abide by his wishes.'
Alan considered that for a moment.'Shall we get to the point?'' he suggested. 'Is Mr. Kingsley looking to control every minute of his daughter's life, or does he want excuses not to pay?'
'I am instructed to remind you of the assurances you gave my client when you undertook the care of his daughter.'
'If you're referring to pressure and unwanted therapy, then there's no argument between us. Jinx has been subjected to neither.'
'Yet you state in your fax: 'She finds it difficult to talk about herself.' ' He looked up. 'The clear inference is that you have sought to persuade her to do just that.'
'This is absurd,' said Alan angrily. 'I wrote to Mr. Kingsley because I assumed he had his daughter's welfare at heart, and as Jinx's doctor, I believe it to be in her best interests to seek a rapprochement with her father. However, if his only response is to send a solicitor to spout gobbledygook, then obviously she is right, and I am wrong. Her father is only interested in manipulating and controlling her, and little good can come from a meeting.' He squared the papers on his desk. 'Presumably there's some sort of implied threat in these repeated instructions of yours. Would you care to tell me what it is?'
'Now you're being absurd, Dr. Protheroe.'
'This is all beyond me, I'm afraid.' Alan studied the solicitor with a perplexed frown. 'I really have no interest in playing games with my patients' well-being. If Mr. Kingsley is seeking excuses not to pay, then I shall discuss the matter with Miss Kingsley herself. I have no doubts at all she will wish to honor the obligations her father entered into on her behalf. Please tell your client that I have strong reservations about his reading of his daughter's character. She is far less anxious than he appears to be about reliving her past experiences. In addition, I cannot agree with the police presumption that she attempted suicide.' He leaned forward. 'You may also tell him that in my professional opinion, it is Mr. Kingsley who represents the greatest threat to Jinx's peace of mind. There is an ambivalence in her attitude towards him which can only be resolved by a clearing of the air between them, particularly in relation to her husband's death and to what she perceives as Mr. Kingsley's obsessive and continued need to interfere in her life. However, in face of his obvious unwillingness to talk to her, a clean break by means of an injunction would seem to be the only alternative.' He placed his hands flat on the desk and pushed himself to his feet. 'Good day, Mr. Kennedy. I trust you will have the courtesy to convey my views with the same assiduous detail with which you have just conveyed your client's.'
The solicitor beamed as he, too, rose to his feet. 'No need, Dr. Protheroe,' he murmured, patting his breast pocket. 'I have it all on tape. I believe I told you that Mr. Kingsley insists on having taped records made of every conversation relating to his affairs. I know he will be interested to hear everything you've said. Good day to you.'
The phone rang on Alan's desk ten minutes later, and he picked it up with ill humor.
'I've a Reverend Simon Harris for you, Dr. Protheroe,' said Hilda. 'Do you want to speak to him?'
'Not particularly,' he grunted.
'He says it's important.'
'He would,' said Alan sarcastically. 'It'll be a red-letter day when someone doesn't think what they have to say is important.'
'You sound cross,' said Hilda.
'That's because I am.' He sighed. 'All right, put him through.'
