He hesitated and Casey, her eyes fixed on his face, said, 'There's more, isn't there? Tell me.'
With a brief nod, Reid said, 'He also has head injuries. His skull is fractured and they're afraid there might be some brain damage. That's what they're really worried about.'
She stared at him, her eyes very wide and dark in her set face. 'It happened in the race. He crashed, didn't he…' But she said it as a flat statement, not a question.
Reid's mouth tightened, but he nodded again. 'Yes, I'm afraid so.'
Casey went on gazing at him for a long moment, then she took her hand from his and clasped it with her other in her lap, looking down at the rings on her finger.
'Casey.' Reid went down on his knees in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. 'Sweetheart. Don't shut me out,' he said urgently. 'You've got to let me help you, comfort you.'
'Yes, of course.' She looked up and gave him a small smile, but her eyes were still dull with shock and fear, and Reid realised that she could think of nothing but Mark.
It seemed an age before they boarded another plane, their feelings so different now from the last time. The cabin crew had been told about them and came with offers of food and drink, of blankets and magazines. Casey shook her head dully, but Reid insisted that she have a brandy, and then took the blanket and wrapped it round her himself. 'Try and sleep,' he told her. 'Worrying about him isn't going to get us there any quicker. And you're going to need your strength when we get to England.'
Casey nodded, knowing that he was right, and she obediently shut her eyes and lay still, but she was far too anxious really to sleep. She could only doze fitfully, coming fully awake to the mental pictures of Mark crashing, of him lying in a hospital bed, his body torn and broken. She gave a whimpering sob and Reid immediately put his arm round her, holding her close against his chest as he gently stroked her hair, giving her the only comfort he could—that of his strength and closeness.
By the time they landed in England they had been travelling for over twenty-four hours and Casey felt deadly tired, although Reid, if he felt tired, hardly showed it. As they hadn't technically entered America, they didn't have to go through Customs, and their luggage was whisked through to where Casey's uncle was waiting with a car.
'Is there any more news?' Casey asked him anxiously. 'Is he going to be all right?'
But he could only shake his head. 'No, I'm afraid he's still on the danger list. Do you want to go home and change first or shall I drive you straight to the hospital?'
'Oh, to the hospital. And please hurry.'
Her uncle did his best, but no one could have driven fast enough for Casey in those circumstances. Her mind was filled not only with anxiety for Mark, but also with worry and sympathy for her parents, who must, she knew, be going through their own hellish torment.
When the car at last reached the hospital, Casey hardly waited for it to stop properly before she jumped out and was running towards the entrance. Reid shouted and came running after her and it was he who asked directions and took her arm to hurry her to the Emergency Ward. Her parents were sitting in the waiting- room, empty tea cups in front of them, both looking ten years older than when she had seen them last, when they had so happily waved her off on her honeymoon.
Casey flew to meet them as they jumped to their feet at sight of her. They hugged each other, tears running down their faces, her mother telling her what had happened in between apologising for bringing her home. 'We felt we had to let you know in case Mark… in case he…' Her voice broke into renewed sobbing.
'Oh, Mum! Please don't cry. He'll be all right, I just know he will. You know Mark; he's tough. He'll pull through, you'll see.' So now it was Casey's turn to give them what comfort she could, and it was quite some time before any of them remembered Reid, standing quietly by the door.
'Oh, Reid, I'm sorry.' Her mother got quickly to her feet. 'What must you think of us? And bringing you back from your honeymoon like this. Now it's all been spoilt for you.'
'Please.' Reid took her arm and led her back to her seat. 'My place is here with Casey, and to do what I can for you.' Sitting down beside her he said, 'Now why don't you tell us exactly what happened?'
It helped her parents to talk, especially her mother, and Reid was very good with her, encouraging her by telling her how Mark's helmet would have protected him, giving her the comfort that only a person with his experience of similar racing accidents could give, so that they soon began to look far more cheerful.
'Look, why don't I book a couple of rooms in a hotel?' Reid said persuasively. 'Then we can take it in turns to wait here while the others get some sleep. You don't want Mark to find you looking so tired and worried when he wakes up, now do you?'
Mrs Everett immediately said that she couldn't leave, that she wouldn't be able to sleep, but Reid could be very persuasive when he wanted to be, and he had soon booked the rooms and cajoled Casey's exhausted parents into letting him take them there for a couple of hours' rest. 'Will you be all right?' he asked Casey in a low voice as he bent towards her.
'Yes. And thanks, Reid,' she said gratefully.
He nodded and kissed her lightly. 'I'll be back soon.'
When he had gone there was nothing to do but sit and wait. Wait to hear whether Mark had won or lost the greatest battle he would ever fight. But the doctors had told her parents that every hour gained would be to his advantage. But then would come the time when they would find out whether he had suffered any permanent brain damage, and they wouldn't know that until he recovered consciousness.
As Casey sat alone in the waiting-room, her heart torn by anxiety, it came to her that Reid must have been in a similar position to her brother after his accident last year. His sister must have been sitting waiting as she was doing now, wondering if he would wake to be a whole person or a living vegetable. Casey tried to imagine how she would feel if it was Reid lying there and not Mark, but her mind shrank from the thought in pure terror. And for all he had said that racing was much safer, it could quite easily happen to him again.
When Reid got back to the hospital half an hour later she was sitting quite still, her face very white, and for a moment he feared that Mark had died. Going quickly to her, he took her hands. 'Has—has there been any change?'
Slowly she lifted her head, horrifying him by the bleakness in her eyes. But then she said, 'No,' and shook her head.
Sitting down beside her, Reid took her hand and spoke matter-of-factly. 'The doctor here gave your parents some sleeping tablets, so they should be having a really good sleep by now, and that will make them feel much better. And I've had our luggage taken to the hotel, so why don't you go back there and have a bath, try to get some sleep?' He gently pushed her hair back from her face. 'My poor darling, you've hardly slept at all. I promise to ring you the moment there's any news.'
'No. You go. I'm all right.'
She continued stubbornly to refuse, so Reid stayed with her until some eight hours later when her parents came back, still anxious, but better able to cope now that they were refreshed. Casey made a half-hearted attempt to stay, but Reid took her firmly by the arm and led her outside to the car. She blinked on the steps of the hospital at the sun low on the horizon, her eyes sore from tiredness. 'What time is it? I've lost track. Is it morning or evening?'
'It's six o'clock in the morning. You're probably suffering from a double dose of jet lag. The car's over here.'
She went to follow him, but stumbled on the steps. Reid turned swiftly and caught her, held her as she said, 'Oh God, I've never been so tired in my whole life.'
He supported her over to the car and again when they got to the hotel and went up to their room in the lift. She leaned against the wall as he unlocked the door and then Reid simply picked her up and carried her inside, shouldering the door shut behind him. It was a pleasant room with a large double bed. Reid sat her down on it and helped her to take off her jacket and shoes. He went away for a moment and Casey fell backwards on to the be
d, but he came and sat her up again, and began to undo her dress. 'Come on, darling, you'll feel much better if you have a bath first,' he urged.
Dazedly she nodded and tried to undress herself, but Reid's hands were far more deft than hers, taking off her slip and tights with the ease that comes of experience. Going over to her cases, he unlocked them and hunted around until he found her bath robe. 'Here. Put this on. I'll go and check on the bath.'
Numbly Casey did as she was told, finding it so much easier to obey him than to think for herself.
'OK, it's ready.' Reid helped her into the bathroom, then paused uncertainly. 'Can you manage?'
Casey nodded and he moved towards the door. In utter weariness, Casey let the robe slip from her shoulders and put her hands behind her to undo her bra, but it was new and the clasp was stiff, her fumbling fingers couldn't undo it and she gave a sob of frustration. Instantly Reid was there again. 'Easy now.' He undid the bra and took it off, hesitating only a second before reaching down to take off her panties. 'Come on, in you get.'
He held her arm as she stepped into the bath and slid down through the deep layer of bubbles into the beautifully warm, soothing water. Casey gave a little sound of contentment and leaned her head back, her eyes closing as she relaxed fully for the first time in what seemed days. 'Hey, don't go to sleep, Casey! Wake up.'
Reid looked at her lying in the bath, her breasts encircled by the bubbles that clung wetly to her skin. His jaw hardened, but then he rolled up his sleeves, knelt down beside the bath and, picking up the soap, began to wash her.
Casey forced open heavy-lidded eyes, murmured, 'Mmm, nice,' on a voluptuous note, and fell asleep again.
Looking down at her, Reid grinned ruefully. 'I'd hoped to be doing this to you in far different circumstances, my darling.' He kissed her nose and, unable to resist, bent to kiss her wet nipples, proud from the heat of the water. He went on washing her, enjoying her body, but driving himself half-crazy with frustrated desire as he did so, until he groaned and tossed the soap aside. 'Come on, Casey, stand up so I can dry you.'
She obeyed him protestingly. 'Reid, I'm so tired. Please let me go to sleep.'
'In just a minute, sweetheart.' Putting a large bathsheet round her, he began to rub her dry, his hands lingering longer than they should have done, his teeth gritted in frustration. Her uptilted breasts, especially, drew his hands and he just had to kiss them again. To his surprise, as he raised his head, Casey put her arms round his neck and kissed him fiercely. For a wild moment he was on the point of carrying her to the bed and making love to her, but the next second Casey's head drooped on to his shoulder and she fell asleep again.
It took a few harshly breathed minutes for Reid to regain control of himself, but when he had he quickly picked Casey up in the towel and carried her through to the bed and put her into it, not trusting himself even to find a nightdress and put it on her.
He stood looking down at her for a long moment, at the wet hair on her neck and the dark shadows of tiredness and worry about her eyes. He swore softly but vehemently at the Fates that had deprived them of their wedding-night, that had ruined their longed-for honeymoon. Slowly he turned and went to have a bath himself, then put on a robe and lay down on the bed beside her to get what sleep he could.
When the phone rang a few hours later Reid woke instantly and picked up the receiver before Casey was disturbed by it. He spoke for a few moments, replaced the receiver and turned to reach out to wake Casey. But just as he was about to put his hand on her shoulder he hesitated, seeing that she was in a deep sleep, changed his mind and lay back again, his face troubled.
It was mid-afternoon when Casey finally awoke, some noise outside dragging her back to consciousness. At first she didn't know where she was, but then awareness came flooding back and she sat up, full of anxiety. With some bewilderment she saw that she was naked, and a glance at the other pillow showed the indentation where Reid had lain beside her. Colour burned Casey's cheeks as she realised that Reid must have put her to bed, and hazy recollections of her bath spread the blush all over. She could hear Reid moving about in the bathroom so she grabbed her robe and began to put it on.
Reid came into the bedroom a minute too soon and caught a glimpse of her breasts before Casey hastily covered herself. His mouth twisted a little in amusement, but he came straight over to sit on the bed and kiss her. 'Hi. How are you feeling?'
'Much—much better.' Reid, too, was wearing only a bathrobe and she was very conscious of this and of the intimacy it created between them, that somehow seemed all wrong. He put his arm round her and leaned forward to kiss her again, but she turned her head away and said abruptly, 'Is there any news?"
Reid's hand tightened on her shoulder. 'A little. Your father rang a few hours ago to say that Mark had come to for a couple of minutes, but not long enough for him to be at all coherent. But his unconsciousness now isn't as deep as it was, so they're hoping he'll come to again before long.'
Casey listened to him in growing astonishment and anger. 'Why didn't you tell me before?'
'You were fast asleep and I ..
'You should have woken me,' she interrupted forcefully. 'You promised to tell me the moment there was any news,' she accused him.
Reid shrugged. 'This was neither one thing nor the other, neither good news or bad. I judged it better to let you go on sleeping.'
'But you had no right to judge,' Casey exclaimed, swinging her legs out of bed and pulling the robe tightly around her.
Raising his eyebrow, Reid said shortly, 'No right, Casey?'
She coloured, realising that he was referring to the fact that they were married, but said, 'Not in this, no.' Going over to her suitcase, she pulled out some clothes. 'I'm going over to the hospital.'
'All right, we'll have a meal in the restaurant here and then go straight over.'
'I'm not hungry,' she told him, making for the bathroom.
Reid caught her arm. 'Casey, we haven't had anything but a meal on the plane for over twenty-four hours. We've got to eat.'
'You eat,' Casey snapped, pulling her arm free. 'I'm going to the hospital to be with Mum and Dad.'
She put on her clothes in the bathroom, too quickly for Reid, who was still dressing when she came out. Picking up her handbag, she just said, 'I'll see you later—when you've eaten,' and hurried out of the room.
'Casey, wait!' But she took no notice of him so that Reid swore as he thrust his feet into his shoes and grabbed his jacket and the things out of his pockets before going after her.
He caught her up outside on the steps, where the doorman was trying to get a taxi for her. 'It's OK,' he said to the doorman and took Casey's arm to lead her over to the car. 'Why did you run off like that?' he demanded as soon as they were out of earshot.
'You said you wanted to eat.'
'Not without you. Surely you know that?'
'Why should I? After all, Mark isn't any concern of yours, is he?'
Reid stopped and swung her round angrily to face him. 'Don't take it out on me, Casey,' he said harshly.
Casey looked at him for a moment, stony-faced, then pulled her arm away with an exclamation of impatience. 'Oh, for heaven's sake! Just let's get to the hospital.'
There was no change in Mark's condition. Her parents were still sitting in the waiting-room. 'I think I shall remember every inch of this place for the rest of my life,' her mother said with a sigh as she took Casey's hand. 'Did you manage to get some sleep?'
'Yes,' Casey admitted, immediately feeling guilty.
'Look why don't you go with Reid and have a meal while I take over?'
'That's a good idea,' her father agreed. 'We only had some sandwiches from the snack-bar here at lunch time; a proper meal will do us good.'
But Reid said firmly, 'Casey hasn't eaten, either, so why don't we all go? We can tell the people here where we're going so that they can contact us if there's any news.'
But neither Casey nor her mother would agree to this, so they e
nded up with yet more sandwiches and cups of coffee. Then there was nothing to do but sit and wait again, mostly in silence as there seemed to be nothing left to say. Casey sat next to her mother, holding her hand, while Reid sat opposite them, glancing through a magazine, but often looking across at her. Sometimes he caught her eyes and tried to hold them, but Casey refused to, looking quickly away.
Their stubbornness proved to be justified when, only half an hour after their return to the hospital, a nurse came in and told them that Mark had recovered consciousness, that they could go in and see him.
'Oh, dear God!' Mrs Everett immediately reached for her husband's hands.
Casey went to her other side, but the nurse said, 'Just his parents, please.'
Rebuffed, Casey could only stand at the door, watching them hurry down the corridor. Coming up behind her, Reid put his hands on her shoulders but she hardly felt it, she was so torn between hope and fear.
And it seemed as if her worst fears were confirmed when she saw her parents returning ten minutes later, her mother in tears and her father trying to comfort her.
'Oh no!' Casey breathed. 'Oh, please, God, no!'
Reid's arms went round her but she broke free of him and ran towards her parents. Her mother lifted her head and smiled through her tears. 'He's going to be all right, Casey. They say he'll get perfectly well again!'
Her mother was too overcome to go on, so it was her father who told them that Mark had recognised and spoken to them, that he had been lucid enough to do the simple tests that proved that his brain wasn't damaged at all. He had hardly finished speaking when the nurse came back and smiled at Casey. 'Would you like to see your brother now? Just for five minutes,' she cautioned.
Ultimatum Page 7