‘We’ve got them. Tom saved one of the boys from going over the edge, but he’s fallen and he’s got a nasty gash on his leg. It’s bleeding like crazy. We need a helicopter.’
Sean swung into action and Sally sank down onto the nearest chair.
She knew that when the wind was this high it was unlikely that a helicopter would be able to take off, let alone land.
In between calls, Sean glanced across at her. ‘You’re white as a sheet,’ he said roughly. ‘Go and make yourself a hot drink. And stop worrying about Tom. He’s made of stern stuff.’
He went back to his calls and Sally wandered aimlessly around the base, waiting and worrying.
She wanted him safely back.
She wanted to tell him that she loved him.
Finally they had the news that the wind had dropped sufficiently for the helicopter to land and pick up Tom and one of the boys. The other three were well enough to be walked off the mountain by the remaining members of the team.
Sean smiled at Sally. ‘Get on the bike of yours and pedal to the hospital,’ he advised, ‘because that’s where your boyfriend is going to be heading.’
Without pausing to argue, she did as he’d suggested, grabbing her jacket and her helmet and dashing for her mountain bike.
She arrived at the hospital as the helicopter landed, and she sprinted for A and E.
Ben MacAllister, Ellie’s husband and one of the A and E consultants, was waiting for the helicopter. ‘No guessing why you’re here,’ he said dryly, holding open the doors so that the crew could wheel the stretcher inside. ‘Take him into Resus. And we’ll have the boy in that cubicle over there.’
Sally looked at Tom lying on the stretcher with his eyes closed and her heart lurched uncomfortably.
If anything happened to him …
They transferred him across from the stretcher and Sally slid her hand into his. ‘Tom?’
His hand felt freezing cold and she warmed it with both of hers, feeling weak-limbed and incredibly shaky.
His eyes opened and he winced slightly. ‘What are you doing here? Are you after my body again?’
‘I thought I might ravish you while you’re under the anaesthetic.’ She kept it light. This wasn’t the time to have the conversation she wanted to have. ‘I didn’t have anything else to do. I told Sean I’d keep an eye on you.’
He nodded, a faint smile touching his mouth. ‘My leg is killing me.’
‘You’ve cut it.’
‘Badly?’
Ben lifted the dressing and examined it. ‘Badly enough to give you a scar. Good job you’re not a swimwear model.’
‘All I want to know is whether it will ruin my chances of having a decent love life.’
Ben grinned. ‘Did you have a decent love life before?’ He poked around a bit more and then nodded. ‘It’s not as bad as I first thought. We can stitch it here. You’ll just be a bit sore walking up the aisle with Oliver tomorrow.’
Sally watched as Ben finished his examination, noticing how pale Tom looked.
How infinitely precious.
‘Were the kids OK in the end?’ Tom closed his eyes and his voice sounded weary.
‘Thanks to you, I gather.’ Ben glanced at the nurse. ‘Can I have some more light here, Nicky? It’s like working in a cave.’
‘Charming.’ Nicky, the A and E sister, rolled her eyes and adjusted the light. ‘I happen to prefer romantic lighting myself.’
Ben drew the edges of the laceration together, carefully aligning them to achieve the best result. ‘Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t fancy Tom.’