Martin looked once again at the letter he held in his hand as if unable to comprehend or accept what it contained.

He reread it for the third time.

"My Dear Martin,

"I have to tell you that our relationship is over, as is our planned marriage."

"I'm sorry to be so blunt, but it seems the best way rather than prevaricating, and knowing you as I do, always straight and to the point, I'm sure you prefer it this way."

"For some time I've felt that I could not be a successful doctor's wife. For a start I'm too selfish. I would make demands on your time that you would be unable to meet. What's more, as I've already found out, your life would belong to your patients as much as, if not more than, me."

"I believe that you love me in your way, but you will always be a doctor more than a husband."

"I know that if I see you again you'll be able to persuade me not to leave you -- you can always be so irresistibly persuasive"

"You may try to see me, so I must tell you that I have met someone else, and by the time you get this letter I shall have gone away with him so please don't try to find me."

"I shall always remember you with affection as I hope you will remember me."

"Have a good life.

Melanie."

The letter fell from his hand to drop on the desk. He sat as if paralyzed, unable to believe what he had read.

* * * * * * * *

Dr. Martin Holder, the brightest of the medical students in his year to graduate; "A promising young man," his professors had said.

"Have a good life," she had written, but until the moment of reading the letter a good life had been centred around Melanie and their future together.

Even more devastating was that she had met someone else; someone she must have been seeing even while..."Dear God, only two nights ago we had made love in her bed and all the time..."

He felt that he wanted to vomit, to cry out in his anguish, cursing God, or the gods, or anything or anyone he could blame for his loss; anyone or anything other than himself and his profession.

Yet Melanie had put the blame squarely on his profession and with it himself. If that was so then wouldn't any girl raise the same objections?

In his misery he failed to remember that many in his profession had very successful marriages. Even if he had remembered this it would have been of no account since the loss of Melanie blinded him to anything positive.

For Martin the loss of Melanie was akin to someone beloved who had died. In fact it was worse because he knew she still lived and was with someone else. This added humiliation to his bereavement.

At such times we are apt to make snap decisions that afterwards we come to regret. Martin made such a decision now.

He was currently working at a city medical clinic in a salaried capacity, now he scoured the medical journals looking at advertisements for general practitioners. He had to get away...get away anywhere as long as it was far away.

Eventually he found what he was looking for; a practice was for sale in a small coastal town, Point Danger. There was only one doctor in the place and he was retiring. The cost of buying the practice was small compared to a practice in the larger centres of population.

He telephone the incumbent, a Dr. Ferris, and made an arrangement to see the practice.

* * * * * * * *

Dr. Ferris had practiced in the town for over forty years and knew almost everyone. Unfortunately the equipment had not been updated since he'd first arrived, and Martin realized that most of it would have to be replaced; this meant borrowing more than he'd anticipated.

It had the advantage of being the only medical practice in the town, but this meant also the disadvantage of carrying more responsibility than a city practice with its hospitals and specialists close at hand. The nearest hospital to Point Danger was eighty kilometers away at Darley Heads.

Nevertheless, in his grief over the loss of Melanie this remoteness was what Martin sought. Here was a place that carried no memories of Melanie and eventually there would be forgetfulness.

And so, after negotiations with the bank for a loan, and against the advice of his colleagues, Martin bought the practice at Point Danger.

Along with the consulting room, waiting and reception areas went what had been Dr. Ferris' modest house, a three bedroom affair that had once held not only Dr. Ferris, but his wife and three children as well. No doubt a trifle crowded before the children left home, the place was far larger than one lone doctor needed.

Regarding "lone doctor," that was how Martin intended to keep it. No more women in his life, he would be a sort of medical monk. Sex, wife and family had been replaced by a decision for the celibate life.

Despite the smallness of the town Martin anticipated that he would be busy, and even if he was inclined to be his own receptionist and cleaner -- and he was not so inclined - he would need someone to clean the house and the consulting area.

Dr. Ferris had employed a receptionist, Miss Reynolds, who was well past retirement age. Like the doctor she knew just about everyone in the town, but she had decided to retire "Because I've worked for dear Dr. Ferris since I was twenty five and can't see myself settling in with another doctor."

Mrs. Ferris, the devoted doctor's wife, had kept house for him and, as some might say, "Had pandered to his whims" since a couple of years after Ferris had qualified, which amounted to nearly forty five years. Thus Martin was faced with recruiting his own staff.

Discussing this problem with Dr. Ferris before the latter bowed out; Ferris suggested what might be described as a package deal.

"There are a widow and her daughter who live right next door," he said. "The mother sent the girl to some sort of secretarial college in the city, she's only just come back here, but I don't suppose she'll stay for long because she'll be looking for work, and there's nothing much around here for young people. If you get in quick you might be able to get her."

"Of course, I don't know if she'll be any good at the job, but if you interview her and think she'll be okay, Miss Reynolds could fill her in about what's needed."

"As for a cleaner, I'm thinking of the girl's mother. Like your self she's a foreigner, only lived here for ten years. Funny sort of woman, keeps herself to herself. She doesn't seem to be short of a few dollars but I'm thinking she might appreciate a bit extra, you could try her."

Martin saw no problems concerning the cleaner, but the receptionist was a different matter. Dr. Ferris still kept his patient records on filing cards, but one of the innovations Martin intended was a thoroughly computerized system linking him with the various pathology services, the hospital at Darley Heads and some city specialists, as well as the keeping of patient records. He wondered if the girl, whose name was Sari Hockham would be up to the job.

Martin decided he'd see the girl, and Dr. Ferris said he'd arrange the interview, and so while, much to Dr. Ferris' distress, Martin oversaw the arrival and installation of his new equipment -- and the departure of the old -- Martin interviewed Sari Hockham.

Since Dr. Ferris was still consulting Martin used the lounge in the house for the interview. Mrs. Ferris brought Sari in and introduced her.

Martin was somewhat dismayed on seeing the girl.

At twenty one she was a lovely creature with a kind of wild-rose pink and white complexion, a long delicate neck, pale golden hair sculpted close to her exquisitely shaped head in soft natural waves, eyes of a deep vivid blue, a short slightly upturned nose and small beautifully shaped ears set close to her head.

Her figure was of the kind that most men find intoxicating, slim, yet curving in all the right female places. Even the now resolutely celibate Martin felt a lurching sensation in the pit of his stomach, a tingling sensation in his testes, and the threat of an erection.

Martin's immediate reaction was dismissive, "A girl like her won't stay long around this town," but on looking at her secretarial college records he began to soften.

She spoke quietly yet distinctly, and when questioned about her computer skills she revealed a knowledge that went far beyond Martin's own limited understanding of the infernal machines.

She'd gone so far as to speak with the redoubtable Miss Reynolds about the practice records, and she assured Martin it would, "be no trouble at all to get the whole lot on computer."

Trying to be subtle about ascertaining Sari's future intentions he asked her how she liked living at Point Danger. She replied that she loved it and all the time she was studying in the city she had longed to be home. She went on to eulogize the pleasures of the beach, the fresh air, and the walks in the nearby tree clad hills.

"And anyway," she added, "If I do want to occasionally go to the city it's only a couple of hours drive."

Martin decided he would employ her, but it was agreed only on a trial basis for the first three months, and then if they suited each other Sari would be taken on permanently with an increased salary.

Martin was somewhat overwhelmed by the girl's gratitude, but it was not simply gratitude that she had got the job, but had got a job in the town where she wanted to live.

Dr. Ferris had not set up an interview for Mrs. Hockham, the possible cleaner, and at the end of Sari's interview Martin wanted to raise the matter with her, but hesitated because he couldn't imagine that the mother of a girl like Sari would be willing to come and clean for him.

As Sari was about to leave Martin said cautiously, "Er...Sari...er..."

"Yes Dr. Holder?"

"Wanted to ask about...I ...er...wondered if your mother...if she'd..."

"Oh, how did you hear about her, she's never told anyone?"

"Told anyone what?"

"Well when we first moved here mother did think she might be able to get a job with Dr. Ferris, but of course, Miss Reynolds did both jobs so..."

"What both jobs?"

"Receptionist and practice nurse."

"Ah, yes, well, I've tentatively decided to dispense with the practice nurse."

Sari sighed; "That's a pity; mother's well qualified as a practice nurse and so I thought you meant...what do you want her for?"

"I...er...well you see, I don't have anyone to look after the house and clean the..."

"A cleaner!"

"Well you see, Dr. Ferris said that your mother might be interested in..."

"She's got all sorts of certificates and things," Sari went on, "and she worked as a practice nurse before we moved here, so couldn't you..."

"Sari," Martin said more briskly than he intended, "perhaps I should talk it over with your mother."

"Yes, yes, perhaps that would be best," Sari said doubtfully.

"Look Sari," Martin said, "rather than your mother coming to see me, why don't I come to your house and see her there. I've got some equipment arriving any time now and after that if I come to your house and if your mother's at home we could..."

"Oh yes, she's at home this afternoon, I'll tell her you're coming to see her."

"Thanks Sari."

"Thank you, doctor."

* * * * * * * *

It was two-thirty when Martin rang the Hockham door bell, and he was curious to see what manner of woman Sari's mother was.

Whatever imagery of Mrs. Hockham Martin had conjured with in his mind, it was completely blown away when Mrs. Hockham opened the door.

Martin's first thought was that he was seeing Sari, but when the woman said, "Dr. Holder, my daughter tells me you want to see me," he realized that he was seeing an older version of Sari.

Like her daughter she was exceedingly attractive, but with the fuller figure and facial features of a mature woman, Martin thought she might well be Sari's older sister rather than her mother.

Feeling a trifle embarrassed Martin said, "Er...yes Mrs. Hockham, I wondered if...that is...if you'd like to..."

"Come in...come in," Mrs. Hockham said, "we can talk better in the lounge than standing here on the doorstep."

She led him into the lounge and when they were seated Mrs. Hockham said, "Before you say anything doctor I must thank you for giving Sari the job. She was so unhappy at the thought of having to leaving Point Danger again."

Mrs. Hockham was wearing a plain white dress that reminded Martin of some of the nurse's uniforms he had seen. The hem of the dress had slipped up above her knees as she sat down to partially reveal promising thighs. As with the daughter Martin felt his psycho-physical organism gearing up for baby making.

Tearing his eyes away from the alluring limbs they came to rest briefly upon what appeared to be an equally captivating part of her anatomy, her bosom. Where the dress passed over the delightful hillocks they strained enticingly against the buttons.

For a moment Martin imagined himself undoing those buttons to gaze upon the delights that would be revealed.

Reminding him self that this was not what he was here for, and in any case he had sworn eternal severance from the female of the species, he was nevertheless so flustered by the attractive Mrs. Hockham that he took off in a direction he had not intended.

"Er...ah...Mrs. Hockham, your daughter told me that you are a qualified nurse."

"Yes."

"With experience working in general practice?"

"Yes."

"Miss Reynolds has served Dr. Ferris as both receptionist and nurse but will be leaving."

"Yes."

"Well at least she's not garrulous," Martin thought as he went on, "The fact is, that I can't at this stage afford to pay for both a full time receptionist and nurse, but if you are qualified and..."

"Oh but I am qualified," Mrs. Hockham interrupted quickly; "I can show you my certificates and references."

"Those proving satisfactory," Martin said rather pompously to cover up the effect Mrs. Hockham was having on him, "I might be able to offer you a part time position in the practice."

"I'll get the documents," Mrs. Hockham said eagerly.

"Ah...before you do, there is one other thing Mrs. Hockham."

"Yes?"

"Er...I am unmarried and..."

"Yes we know," Mrs. Hockham interrupted.

"You know, how do you...?

"The whole town knows by now. Dr. Ferris must have told Florence and..."

"Florence?"

"His wife; she keeps everybody in touch with what's going on around the place."

"Oh, well, what I was going to say was that I expect to be busy and won't have time to..."

"Keep the house the surgery area clean and tidy, yes, Sari told me."

"Oh."

"And that's what you really wanted me for, isn't it, Sari told me."

"Yes, I have to admit that it was, but seeing you, well, I thought it might be important to have a nurse at least part time."

"I'll get my papers," Mrs. Hockham said.

After a couple of minutes Mrs. Hockham returned with two large envelopes. She took out a document from one saying, "This is the reference from my last job."

Martin read it though and it glowed with praise, especially with reference to interpersonal relationships. It ended rather flamboyantly, "She has been an ornament to the practice." It was signed Christopher Baker MD.

Martin glanced up at Mrs. Hockham and could well believe she had been an "ornament." He said, "I see you worked for Dr. Baker; he's a great friend of mine."

For a moment he thought he saw a shadow pass over Mrs. Hockham's face.

He scanned the other documents and then said, "Well, Mrs. Hockham," you seem to attract high praise, so shall we say that you've got the job? Dr. Ferris has just under one week left in the practice before I take over, so we'd better arrange your work schedule.

"Oh...oh...thank you, I never thought I'd...well, be able to start again here and...would you like a cup of tea?"

"Ah...oh...er... yes please."

She rose to go and make the tea and Martin said, "Shall I come with you, we can talk while you make the tea."

"Yes...yes of course."

He followed her into the kitchen and seated himself at the table. As Mrs. Hockham made the tea they talked about days and times.

Mrs. Hockham seemed to have an aura about her, a charm that made one feel relaxed. Martin began to understand what was meant when referring to her interpersonal skills, something he often felt he was deficient in. "She could well prove an asset to the practice," he thought.

Over the cup of tea Martin said, "In most of the practices these days a lot of the old formalities have been dropped. I wonder if I might call you by your given name?"

"Harmony," she replied.

"Harmony, an unusual name."

She smiled and said, "Given by optimistic and musical parents."

"Why don't you call me Martin?"

"That's a nice name."

"Yes, my parents were keen bird watchers."

* * * * * * * *

They went on to talk about the town and what sort of people who lived there and what they did for a living. Much of this Martin had already heard from Dr. Ferris, but it was interesting to hear another point of view, and for one of whom Dr. Ferris had said, she "keeps herself to herself," Harmony seemed to be well versed in local affairs.

As the talk became friendlier, if not intimate, Martin asked, "And how long has your husband been dead?"

There was an ominous silence and Martin saw Harmony's face flush.

Thinking he had made an appalling gaffe Martin was momentarily lost for words.

Harmony, who had seemed to him a woman with considerable poise, was clearly troubled and she began to show signs of tension; twisting a tea spoon in her hands and tapping it against her saucer.

Stumblingly Martin said, "I'm sorry if...if I've said...said...but you seem so young to be a widow."

"Yes."

She paused for a moment and then went on, "You know Dr. Baker?"

"Yes, he's a great friend and a sort of mentor I suppose."

There was another pause as Harmony seemed to be struggling to make up her mind to say something.

Martin was concerned that he might be the cause of whatever it was that seemed to be troubling Harmony.

"Is there something wrong, have I...?"

"No it's not really you, it's just that you know Dr. Baker, and well, he knows about me."

"Knows what?"

Harmony gave a deep sigh and asked, "Can I tell you something in confidence?"

Martin put on his Hippocratic persona and said, "Yes, of course." He waited for some shocking revelation."

Harmony took a deep breath and said, "I'm not really a widow."

"No?"

"I'm a single parent; 'widow' is a sort of fiction I've maintained since I moved here. It seems somehow more respectable."

Martin could not contain himself. He laughed heartily and said, "My dear Harmony I sometimes think that half the parents in this country are single parents these days."

"I know it sounds silly Doc...Martin, but I came here to make a fresh start. Even these days' people still look with more suspicion at a single parent than they do a widow. Other women think that because you're a single parent and a female you're more likely to be after their husbands, though God knows why, because I think widows are just as predatory."

Martin shrugged and said, "You may be right." He privately thought that married women might well be suspicious of such an attractive woman who was, as it were, on the loose.

"You know," Harmony continued, "behind your back they say things about you being a burden on the tax payer, and I suppose there's some truth in that, but I've never taken a cent of welfare money."

"Then how have you lived?" Martin asked.

"The bast...the man who made me pregnant was made to pay."

"But that doesn't usually amount to much."

Harmony laughed disdainfully; "No, not usually, but he belonged to a wealthy and well known Establishment family, and they'd do anything to hide up the fact that he'd made a young girl...a very young girl, pregnant, especially as he was married and had three children and occupied a very prominent public position."
"And so...?"

"And so they paid up."

Martin now understood why Harmony might be taken for Sari's older sister instead of her mother.

"So now you know," Harmony said. "I'm glad I told you because otherwise you might have found out via Dr. Baker. Do you still want to employ me?"

Martin was a trifle shocked by this question. "Of course I want to employ you. My employing you has nothing to do with your marital status, and anyway, you seem to have done a good job with your daughter."

"Yes, she's lovely isn't she," Harmony said with undisguised pride. "I could almost forgive that guy for giving me something as beautiful as her. But I sometimes worry about her being shut away here."

"But she told me she loves it here," Martin said.

"Yes, she does, and at least now she's got a job suited to her training; but I sometimes worry about her future. So far she's avoided the mistake I made...no that's wrong; you can't call Sari a mistake can you?"

Martin chuckled and said, "If she was a mistake she's one of the most beautiful mistakes I've ever seen."

"But what about her future; she's not the sort to be content with a life like Miss Reynolds. She'll want...in fact I know she wants, to get married and have children, and most of the best young men leave this place because they can't get work here, and what's left...well, I know it sounds snobbish, but who is there who could...who would..."

"Be worthy of her?"

"Sounds a bit old fashioned and ridiculous doesn't it, but yes, I suppose that's what I mean."

Not being familiar with the local young males Martin had no answer to the question. After a few more words about Harmony starting to work for him, and the arrangements seeming to be satisfactory for the time being, he said goodbye to her and made his way to the surgery and his car.

As he drove back to the city he wondered if he had been right in employing these two women, but concluded that having two such decorative females around the practice would not do the business any harm.

His secular vow of celibacy was for some reason feeling a bit frayed round the edges.

* * * * * * * *

Martin began work in the practice, and to his amazement found that Sari, even before she was properly on the payroll, had set up the computer system.

Now everything would be modern and efficient. There was a problem however, and that lay in the Point Danger populace.

Quickly Martin began to discover what a deep hole Dr. Ferris had dug into the Point Danger psyche. Patients came to him demanding, "The stuff what Doctor give me."

When referring to Dr. Ferris it was always simply "Doctor." "Doctor always give me this," "Doctor said that," "Doctor always come to see me when I had the trembles."

When faced with a demand for what Martin knew was a useless prescription, he initially refused to acquiesce, but on looking at the patients' records he was amazed at the number of ailments Dr. Ferris had cured by simply prescribing placebos.

Martin knew that many of the problems patients came to him with would go away of their own accord, something that Dr. Ferris had also obviously known, so eventually, and against his "scientific medicine" conscience, Martin gave in and prescribed the innocuous medications.

Sari had the computer side of the practice running smoothly, and seemed to have the same interpersonal skills as her mother; soothing the nervous patient and dealing effectively with those who were obstreperous.

Harmony took over much of the minor work; giving injections to trembling patients; dealing with cuts and bruises; lancing boils and carbuncles, and taking blood samples from patients who were inclined to vomit or faint. In addition she kept the practice area and the house spotlessly clean.

At the end of the three months trail period Martin told Sari and Harmony that they was permanently on the pay roll. As he said to them, looking at Harmony, "We work together so harmoniously."

When he first began work Martin had received a flood of patients who had come to take a look and try him out. He found himself confronted by ailments that no scientific medical text ever mentions.

Along with "The trembles," there was "The woggles," "Dithers," "Creaks," "Belly shakes," "Heart diggles," "The crumbles," and on one occasion a patient reported that he had caught a "macrobe."

One night, at two o'clock in the morning, Martin was awakened by a complaining telephone.

"The wife's gone dingbats," the voice at the other end said, "Can't do nuthink wiv 'er; says she'll go bonkers and they'll put 'er in the looney bin."

Martin hastened out to the lonely farm where the "dingbats" farmer's wife lived.

After calming her down the story was that she had been reading in a magazine about the symptoms and ultimate results of contracting various venereal diseases. In the deeps of the night when the nightmares come riding out she had decided she had contracted syphilis.

Martin tried to reassure her, but in tears she insisted, "I know I got it 'cause me twat's sore and it'll go to me brain an' I'll go bonkers."

Further questioning by Martin elicited the following; while her husband was away from the farm a young fertilizer salesman had called. Rarely serviced by her husband his wife had taken advantage of the salesman's obvious erection, "'An I let 'im screw me; 'e done it to me four times."

An examination of her "twat" suggested that she had over indulged in "screwing" and this was the cause of the soreness."

Realizing that it was useless to tell his hysterical patient that she did not have syphilis, Martin gave her a neutral injection, while assuring her that this was the latest in cures for syphilis, adding that it worked instantly and never failed, although the soreness would continue for a day or two.

As he drove away, leaving behind a happy and recovered farmer's wife, Martin muttered to himself, "Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all."

And thus did Dr. Martin Holder gradually settled into his practice and became accustomed to the foibles of his patients. As one elderly local rather surprisingly said to him, "Here we just go with the flow Doc."

"Doc" was what he became, never gaining the more respectful title, "Doctor," that had been accorded his predecessor.

There was however one aspect of doctoring in Point Danger that he had not anticipated.

* * * * * * * *

Now it must be said that Martin at the age of twenty eight, handsome and unmarried, was of considerable interest to the unmarried, and even some married local females.

It was the young males who tended to leave the town to become accountants, apprentice boiler makers, plumbers and all those trades and professions that were not available to them in Point Danger. Thus there was a general shortage of young males in Point Danger.

Of course some girls left as well, but not in the same numbers. Those who remained tended to serve in the supermarket, the pharmacy and the few other shops that required assistants, or being of farming stock, remained at home working on the farm.

As one local put it, the lot of the local girl was to "Leave school at sixteen, have her hair permed, get pregnant and get married," usually in that order.

Clearly the presence of a good looking young doctor in their midst, was for the local females rather like the presence of nectar to a honeyeater bird.

It was in this situation that Martin came to fully appreciate the presence of Harmony in the practice.

If I might give a few examples; one young lady of fifteen who, somewhat enamored of the young Doc, on entering his consulting room, said, "Would you take a look at my boobies to see if they're okay, Doc?"

Much to the girl's dismay Harmony was immediately called in to witness that Martin did no evil. Harmony stood there somewhat amused as after a cursory examination Martin pronounced the "boobies" to be in fine shape and "very promising."

A surprising number, not only of girls, but also older women came to him saying -- to quote one such lady -- "I think I've got a stranger in the larder, would have a feel round Doc?"

Again it was the task of Harmony to act as Martin's moral minder.

One lady of considerable physical attractions insisted on stripping naked because she felt that she was "lopsided" and Martin would be unable to tell unless he saw her, "In the raw." The lady was a keen tennis player and the only blemish Martin could find was that her right breast was slightly more developed than her left breast. He suggested she try playing tennis left handed for a while.

Many other such incidents occurred, such as the large number of women who suspected they had breast cancer and wanted Martin to have a squeeze. Their disappointment, apart from Harmony's presence, was added to when he suggest they make the trek to Darley Heads Hospital where they had equipment appropriate for the testing of breast cancer.

Commenting to Harmony on one occasion about the inordinate number of females in Point Danger who seemed to believe that they suffered from genital and mammary problems, she said, "That's the difficulty of being an unmarried doctor," and then humorously added, "Perhaps that's why the place is called "Point Danger."

That this was not the case Harmony demonstrated. It came about as follows:

Martin was one of those men who being of gentle disposition, and being romantic by nature, still believed that even modern woman - despite growing evidence to the contrary -- are the more sensitive of the genders. Hence Martin tended to prefer the company of women to that of men.

As you might imagine, this was a grave disadvantage to an avowed celibate.

I am reminded of the story about an early Christian hermit-monk, who, having spent many years in the isolation of an Egyptian desert tomb, one day decided that he would visit the nearest town. Walking along the road to the town he was met by a woman. One glance was sufficient. He fled in horror back to his tomb.

Unfortunately for Martin he did not have a desert tomb to flee back to, and so when Harmony said to him soon after starting to work for him, "Would you like to come on a picnic with me to the Point Danger lighthouse?" Martin, despite his unfortunate Melanie experience, readily agreed.

A fatal error some might think.

The picnic proved to be a mixture of the educational and satanic temptation.

The lighthouse stood on the extreme edge of The Point. Beneath it great ocean rollers crashed against forbidding cliffs.

In the early days of the colony when there had been no railways or adequate roads, all supplies to the then small coastal villages were brought in by sailing boats. They brought in necessary supplies and took out the regional products.

Point Danger was so named because of the many ships that were wrecked on the cliffs until the lighthouse was established.

After relating this to Martin they settled down for their picnic, and it was then that the Tempter entered.

Harmony was wearing shorts and a shirt for the occasion. The shirt, with several buttons undone, gave a delightful view of her cleavage. The shorts, being very short, gave an equally clear view of Harmony's long, smooth, creamy legs.

After eating their picnic lunch Harmony lay back on the grass, her hands behind her head, causing her normally prominent breasts to become even more conspicuous.

Had Martin not been committed to eternal chastity, this would have been the moment when he would have enjoyed her female beauty. It is true, that for the moment good and evil, virtue and vice, fought for predominance over his frail masculinity.

Those of you, who are given to moral excellence, will rejoice to know that on this occasion virtue won.

"I think...er...I think we should...er...be getting back; I've got evening surgery to...er...yes...so..."

Harmony removed her hands from behind her head. Her breasts returned to their normal position and sighing said, "Yes, I suppose so."

Thus did Martin defeat the wiles of the Evil One.

* * * * * * * *

Had Harmony and the male deprived women of Point Danger been the only source of demonic temptation, Martin might have been safe, but there was one other close to him.

Now let us consider. Two very attractive women working for him; mother and daughter; the mother thirty five years of age, the daughter twenty one years of age. At twenty eight years of age, unmarried, good looking, avowedly celibate, Martin, age-wise was somewhere between mother and daughter.

Those of you of more compassionate inclination will understand that Martin's situation was fraught with danger. Those of that inclination will feel even greater compassion when I say that despite his vow of celibacy Martin had not thereby been rendered neuter.

If only Miss Reynolds had decided to stay on and work for Martin, but alas, it had not been so.

Harmony's youthful experience with a middle-aged man had produced a similar effect on her as Martin's experience with Melanie. She had followed her own path of chastity, but the advent of Martin was rather like a second coming in her life that had shaken her chaste resolve.

Apart from the general female population of Point Danger and its interest in Martin, we must consider the propinquity that Harmony enjoyed in relation to Martin. This gave her a considerable advantage over other women of the town.

Had it been only Harmony who had this access to Martin, all might have remained uncomplicated, but as you will realize, there was another who also had ready access to Martin, namely, Sari.

Harmony had already stated that Sari had matrimonial ambitions. That ambition might have been like a figure on the distant horizon, but with the coming of Martin that figure began to loom large.

"How wonderful it would be," she thought, "to be married to such as he; to live with him in Point Danger," and how different it would be from those gauche young men she had admitted to her vagina while living in the city.

The problem as Sari perceived was, that Martin gave no sign that he was ready to enter a love nest with her, and the dark blue button-up overall type dress she wore as a receptionist's uniform gave little opportunity for her to show her more desirable assets. Sari even felt a trifle resentful that her mother had a white uniform which, although in the same style as her dark blue uniform, did seem sexier.

To what extent mother and daughter understood that they had rival interests in Martin, is unknown, at least in the early stages of that rivalry.

And what of Martin in the midst of this situation? I fear that his devotion to chastity had worn very thin indeed. In defense of his virtue I must say that it was not merely the constant presence of two very attractive females in his life that drew him ever closer to surrender, but in addition, the realization that as a married doctor he would be safe from the more predacious females of Point Danger, or at least a bit safer.

At such times someone has to make a move; the question was who would to make it. My opinion is -- and it is only opinion -- it would never have been Martin. The Melanie poison still lurked in his soul.

It is here that we must consider his Achilles heel, or rather, as I shall relate; his two Achilles heels.

Let us consider first his Achilles heel in relation to Sari.

It was Sari's skill with the computer that served as the equivalent of arrow that Paris shot at the original Achilles and slew him.

If Martin had greater computer skills then his whole future might have been different.

One evening after his final consultation he was trying to print out a document, but whatever he did, the printer refused to budge. Sari was on the point of going home when Martin called her into his consulting room.

"The damned printer won't print," he complained.

"Let me have a look," Sari said.

While Martin remained seated at his desk Sari came to stand beside him. A subtle fragrance assailed Martin's nostrils; her body was very close to him; there were stirrings in his nether region.

Sari, in the annoying way people skilled with computers have, took the mouse, clicked here and there, and the printer began to come to life.

"How did you do that," Martin asked.

Again in the annoying way computer literates have, Sari said, "It's easy' just put your hand on the mouse"

He put his hand on the mouse and her hand came over his; her hand was soft and seemed to pulsate.

Her face was very close to his as she said, "You click on this, then here, that's all there is to it."

There was that moment when their eyes met questioningly. Sari kissed him softly on the lips as she drew his hand to her breasts. '

When their lips parted she whispered, "I know what you want, so let me give it to you."

Martin certainly knew what he wanted, and had his chastity been a physical edifice its collapse would have been great indeed.

With fumbling fingers he strove to unbutton her dress, but Sari, was before him, and undid them herself. Beyond lay sweet breasts barely covered by the flimsy bras; quickly his hands were caressing those sweet hemispheres with their icing pink nipples.

As he sucked her nipples Sari managed to get his zip undone, and after a bit of a struggle exposed his erect penis. Removing her self from him for a few seconds she removed her panties and then sat across Martin, facing him.

It did not take long. The period of abstinence over, Martin was quickly shooting his sperm into Sari. In fact it was too quick for Sari who did not reach orgasm. But that wasn't the end of it.

Sari was very late home that night, and when asked by Harmony what had detained her, she replied, not altogether untruthfully. "Martin had a computer problem that I had to sort out for him."

It was however the other Martin problem that she had sorted out that gave her immense satisfaction and high hope for the future.

* * * * * * * *

I have mention Martin's second Achilles heel; and this can be summed up in one word, "Food."

I do not suggest that Martin was a gargantuan eater; on the contrary he was a modest eater. What he appreciated was good cooking.

Soon after his arrival in Point Danger, Harmony had decided that Martin needed someone to cook for him. She began by leaving meals that only needed heating; from there she went on to bringing over meals that she and Sari were having. Then came to time when she said occasionally, "Why don't you join Sari and me for the evening meal?"

Martin was grateful since his own cooking was to say the least inadequate.

It was soon after Martin began his affair with Sari -- which had become a daily affair -- that Harmony invited Martin to "Come to my place this evening for a meal."

On his arrival he was disconcerted by Harmony's apparel. She was wearing a loose fitting and extremely vaporous garment that gave tantalizing views of unfettered breasts, and he suspected an equally panty free genital region.

On previous occasions when he had gone to Harmony's house to dine Sari had always been present. That night she was absent.

When Martin enquired as to her whereabouts Harmony seemed to be slightly discomposed.

"Oh...er...she's gone to the city. It's Saturday tomorrow and I've agreed to step in as receptionist for the morning surgery, and there is no evening surgery. She wants to buy some clothes -- I don't know what's come over her lately, she never used to be so concerned about what she wore, but just lately...I hope you don't mind?"

Martin assumed that the question related to Sari's absence from work, and not to what she wore. He did feel a little miffed that he had not been consulted, but with Harmony's cooking in mind he decided not to rock the boat and said, "No...no...that's all right."

The meal was, as usual, delicious, and he was in an excellent mood when he offered to help with the washing up. It was during that process and while passing a plate to Harmony who was drying, his hand brushed against her breasts.
A look passed between them that was oddly reminiscent of that which had passed between Martin and Sari that first time.

Harmony, still holding Martin with her gaze, put the plate down and drew Martin's hands to her breasts.

"Were alone," she murmured, "and Sari won't be back until late tomorrow, we could have a lovely evening."

Martin's freedom from his chastity captivity seemed to have dulled his moral conscience. If I can state it in common parlance, "A stiff prick has no conscience," and Martin had been enduring a stiff prick since seeing Harmony in her revealing garment.

Harmony moved close to Martin and kissed him, beginning to move her pubis over his penis.

The last tattered rags of his moral scruples fled in disarray; that Harmony was the mother of his recently acquired lover meant nothing. He wanted her and she was offering herself.

Harmony seated herself on a work bench, pulled up her dress to reveal her genitals and said, "Do to me it like this."

Martin took out his penis and standing in front of her penetrated.

There were sighs and groan of pleasure as his length slid into her wet, warm vagina.

Martin, having been serviced by Sari of late, took longer with Harmony than he had the first time with Sari.

During the orgasmic crisis people often say things they do not necessarily mean. The sincerity of Harmony's words at the critical time may or may not have been sincere, but from what followed much later I shall assume sincerity.

As she felt her orgasm approaching Harmony began to cry out, "Darling I love you...I need you...I love you...I'm coming...coming...oh my God...come with me...let me feel it..."

As Martin pumped his seed into her, her cries reached a crescendo as she screamed out, "Oh god it's beautiful...beautiful...don't stop...don't stop..."

They ended holding on to each other in post-orgasmic tranquility.

I have written "ended," but it was not the end. Martin had with Harmony what he had not had with Sari, a night in bed, their couplings having been largely confined to the examination couch and only briefly after the surgery was closed because, "We don't want mummy to know, do we."

And so that night in bed, and being at leisure, Harmony and Martin were able to enjoy the pleasures of cunnilingus and fellatio, plus unions in some of the more athletic positions.

Despite believing that comparisons are odious Martin felt that, in comparison to Sari, Harmony was slightly ahead on points and both were far ahead of his experiences with Melanie.

* * * * * * * *

How often do our pleasures for a time obscure the consequences that lie ahead?

Martin now had access to both mother and daughter, and lost in his euphoria, for a time this did not trouble him.

Little did he know what traps had been set for him.

Whether there was any collusion between mother and daughter we shall never know. Perhaps they were hedging their bets, but whatever the case, it came up a double header.

When confronted by both mother and daughter with the question, "What are you going to do about it?" He was lost for an answer.

The mother and daughter both pregnant and fertilized by his seed, and clearly able if necessary to prove it, what was Martin to do?

The demand was marriage, but which one to marry? If the mother, then he would have a step daughter who was, if I might resort to older terminology, "No better than she ought to be," unless of course it was revealed that he was daddy to the coming baby, in which case his doctoring days would be over.

If the daughter, then he would have a mother-in-law who was if anything worse than her daughter -- morally speaking.

The situation called for delicate negotiations that did in the end produce a satisfactory outcome.

It came to this; Martin would marry Harmony, but without prejudicing Sari's right to enjoy Martin's penis. In short, they would share him.

The marriage of Harmony and Martin came as a great relief to the men of Point Danger, since they naively believed that their women-folk would lose interest in Martin. Like most men they were wrong, but they had two staunch allies.

Harmony and Sari, in the menage a trois, kept careful watch over Martin, making sure he did not wander from the pathway of fidelity.

On Martin's side he gained a receptionist, practice nurse and cleaner at little cost, and the pleasure of having two women available to minister to his sexual needs.

Unexpectedly it was decided that Harmony would be the future bearer of children -- unexpected because Sari being the younger would have been the better bet in the baby making stakes.

Sari was, however, quite content with her son Roland, and Harmony managed to produce two more children before Martin decided to put her on the pill.

The house was somewhat crowded, but the locals, if they ever guessed at the nature of the doctor's household, were more amused than scandalized, and as they said, "The Doc must be a really horny bugger."

Martin is coming up to the time of his retirement, and he cynically wonders what fate awaits the next incumbent of the Point Danger practice. His own experience has been highly satisfactory, although he's not sure who are his children and who his grandchildren, and as for great-grandchildren, well...!