by Jacobs, Anna
‘If you knock something else the rest of the house could fall in on us. Let me shift things gradually, till you’re clear.’
‘All right.’ He sighed and lay back again. ‘Thirsty as all hell. Feels like I've swallowed a bucket of sand.’
His voice sounded so rusty that she felt her own throat tighten in sympathy. ‘I'll see if I can find you something to drink.’
‘A brandy would be nice.’ He tried to smile, but the smile faded quickly. ‘Got some in the front room.’
‘And that's where it's staying! You're only having a sip of water, in case they have to operate on your foot.’
‘Bully!’ His voice was a mere thread of sound, but there was a hint of a grin on his face, which she took as a sign that he was feeling a little better.
She studied the house. The front part looked more solid than the remains of the lean-to. She went round to the front door, opened it and banged it shut a few times, poised to leap away. A few things rattled, but nothing else showed any signs of collapsing.
‘Here goes nothing,’ she muttered. Moving cautiously she walked into the central passageway. The door to the rear section was open at the far end. To the left was the bathroom. ‘Thank goodness!’ she muttered. Before she went inside it, she looked along towards the end and froze. Above her, were the jagged edges of some broken roof timbers. But some of the edges weren’t jagged – they were newly sawn off, just where the two parts of the house met.
Her breath caught in her throat and horror curled inside her belly. Fresh saw marks? Surely someone hadn't been trying to hurt Ben deliberately? Why would they do that?
‘Meriel! Are you all right?’
His voice was faint, but it recalled her to her main task, which was to get some water for him. To her relief, the bathroom tap was still working, so she bent for a quick slurp, then filled the tooth mug and dampened the dusty facecloth that was lying among the debris in the sink. On the way out, she studied the edges of the roof beams again, sharp lines against the sunlight, shaking her head in disbelief. Definitely sawn through.
Ben was still lying in the sun with his eyes closed. She could see the tension on his face and the sweat on his forehead. His mouth was half open and he was breathing raggedly. Now wasn’t the time to say anything about the roof.
She let him sip a little of the water and used the rest to bathe his face, leaving the wet cloth across his forehead while she tried to think how best to get him out of there.
After a few minutes, he grasped her hand and squinted up at her. ‘Thanks. That feels a lot better.’ Then he frowned. ‘Where did you get that water from?’
‘The bathroom.’
His fingers jerked on her wrist and tightened. ‘What?’
‘I was very careful. It was the rear lean-to that fell down, not the main house. I just went into the bathroom.’ She hesitated. Should she tell him now? But he looked so white she shook her head. No. Not yet.
‘Don't take any more risks like that!’ His voice was urgent. ‘Please. Nothing's worth risking your life for. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you.’
She patted his hand. ‘Believe me, I’m being extremely careful.’
Slowly his fingers relaxed and he let go of her arm. When she looked down, his eyes were closed again and his face had a dirty whitish tinge that made his suntan look like poorly applied make-up.
‘Well, all right or not, just stay where you are while I check out your car.’
She reached his car and glared at it. Trust him to have a huge four-wheel drive! She was too small to drive cars like this comfortably.
Leaving the rear door of the vehicle open she went back to help Ben. Carefully she moved more of the debris then helped him stand up. He clung to her for a minute as he swayed to and fro on one leg.
‘Still feel a bit dizzy,’ he muttered.
‘We'll go very slowly. There's no hurry.’
It took longer than she’d expected to get him to the car, because they had to keep stopping so that he could rest. His arm lay heavy and warm along her shoulders, a hot breeze wafted around them and beige dust rose from the dry earth at every step they took. They seemed to be alone in a sun-scorched universe, with the heat pulsing around and through them.
Tina circled them as they walked, giving the occasional yip, though whether that was for encouragement or in protest at the way she was being ignored, it was impossible to tell.
When they got to the car, Ben leaned against it, breathing hoarsely and still clutching Meriel. ‘Wait. Just a minute.’
Tina crept forward and whined at them.
‘That your dog?’
‘Yes.’
‘Didn't see a dog the other day.’
‘I only got her yesterday. And you've got her to thank for me finding you. She ran away and came over here exploring, so I had to come after her. She was whining and standing near where you were lying, refusing to move. I couldn’t see you because you were covered in debris, so I wouldn't have realised you were there but for her.’
‘Owe her a big juicy bone for that.’ He closed his eyes again and leaned his chin against the top of Meriel's head. ‘Still feel a bit woozy,’ he admitted, his breath hot in her ear. ‘Nauseous too. Can't move just yet or I'll disgrace myself.’
‘I told you, there's no hurry. Stand still until you feel better. I couldn't lift you up again if you fell.’
After a couple of minutes he stirred. ‘I think I can move now.’ His voice was tight, as if everything were a huge effort.
Carefully Meriel eased him down, breathing a sigh of relief when he was sitting safely on the edge of the rear seat with the swollen foot sticking out. ‘Just slide slowly backwards. That's right. Good, good.’
She left him there while she ran back for the piece of the sawn-off rafter she’d seen lying on the ground, wrenching it away from its chunk of roof tin. It was heavier than she’d expected but she dragged it across to the car and managed to heave it up into the rear. It seemed wise to keep some of the evidence safe.
When she went to check on Ben, he was slumped against the far corner of the seat and his eyes were closed. Then he opened them, flailed one hand round and tried to run the window down, but the ignition wasn’t switched on. ‘Too hot.’
‘I’ll have it open in a minute. Shall I fasten the seat belt round you? I don't want you rolling about and hurting that foot again.’
‘No. Leave it. Rather sit sideways.’ His voice was slightly slurred.
She suddenly realised she’d forgotten one rather important thing. How could she have been so stupid? ‘Where are your car keys?’ If they were under the debris, she’d have to run across the block and drive her own car round here, then help him move from one vehicle to the other.
He didn’t seem to hear her. ‘Sunglasses in the glove compartment,’ he muttered, his forehead creased into a frown and one filthy hand shading his eyes.
She found the sunglasses and passed them to him, grimacing with him as he knocked the earpiece against the bruise on his forehead and sucked in a sharp breath.
‘That's better.’
‘Tell me where your car keys are,’ she repeated patiently.
‘In my pocket.’ His fingers scrabbled at his jeans, but he couldn’t seem to co-ordinate well enough to pull the keys out.
‘Let me get them. You lie still.’ She had to kneel on the edge of the seat and lean across him, slipping her fingers past the soft warmth of his bare midriff into the nearest pocket.
The keys weren’t there, so she had to lean further and try the other pocket.
‘You smell nice,’ he murmured, nuzzling at her ear.
She jerked at his touch. ‘Just lie still, you idiot!’
He put his arms round her, trapping her on top of him. ‘Mmm, yes. Could lie here like this all day. Love your perfume.’
‘It’s flower soap, not perfume.’ She breathed a sigh of relief as her fingers touched metal. ‘I've got them.’
One of his arms was ro
und her.
‘Let me go, you fool. We have to get you to a doctor.’
Instead he pressed his lips against her cheek. ‘I'll let you go in a minute. I need kissing better first.’ He pressed his lips to her other cheek.
‘You're the one kissing me, so how's that going to help you get better?’ In spite of her worries about his injuries, she had to smile.
‘I knew there was something wrong. You ought to be kissing me, of course. Go ahead! I probably won't have to see a doctor at all if you kiss me better.’ He puckered up his lips.
‘Look, Elless, we need to – to get you some help.’ She tried to wriggle away from him and the arms tightened still further around her. She did not dare pull away too forcefully in case she banged his swollen ankle or his bruised forehead.
‘Kiss me better first!’ he insisted. ‘Then I'll let you go.’
He wasn’t thinking straight and it was no use arguing, so she kissed him quickly on the lips.
‘Not good enough. You need a lot of practice at kissing, if that's the best you can do.’
‘Elless– ’
‘Won't let you go till you kiss me properly.’
She leaned towards him. ‘You’re crazy.’ This time her lips lingered on his and she drew a shaky breath as she moved away.
‘That's better,’ he stared into her eyes. ‘Your lips are beautiful. Made for kissing.’
‘Elless, we need to get you to a doctor.’
‘Your hair gleams like silver silk in the sunlight.’
He ran his fingers through it and she shivered involuntarily at his touch.
‘Not really an ice maiden, eh, Ingram?’
She closed her eyes and sighed. ‘No.’ What use was it denying the obvious?
‘We’ll try this again when my head stops thumping.’ The fingers stilled and then the hand fell away to lie loosely across her shoulders. His eyes closed and he started frowning again.
She wriggled free of him. ‘You're delirious,’ she said. ‘You shouldn't – ’
His hand suddenly fastened on her shoulder. ‘I'm recovering rapidly. Better by the minute. And I'm perfectly aware of what I'm doing and also of how you're responding to it.’
A fusillade of barks and whines broke the spell.
She seized the opportunity to slide off him and out of the car. She didn’t dare move quickly because of his injured ankle and was relieved when he made no further effort to stop her.
Now he was grinning at her. Why?
‘You've not only got nice legs, you have a delightful taste in underwear.’
She looked down and gasped, flushing scarlet and pulling her rucked-up tee shirt down over the very minimal bra she was wearing. ‘Let's get you to a doctor now, Elless. You're not – you don't realise what you're doing.’
He gave a rusty chuckle. ‘Oh, I do. But unfortunately, I'm not in a condition to follow through on the opening shots. That'll have to wait until another time.’
‘You must be more delirious than I’d thought! You don't even like me. You – you suspect me of – ’ She broke off. What was the use of arguing with a man suffering from concussion?
‘You don't have to like someone to find them physically attractive.’
‘Well, I do! I have to like the person very much.’
She was furious that she’d responded to his touch. Where were all the smart answers with which she usually fended men off?
As she reached out to close the rear door, Tina pushed past her and leaped inside, just missing Ben's injured ankle. With a brief pause to lick the nearest hand, she installed herself beside him on the floor, with her head on his arm. She was panting heavily and dribbling on the leather upholstery.
Meriel tried to get hold of the dog’s collar without touching Ben. ‘I'll get her out again.’
‘Leave her where she is. We can't leave her wandering about the block, can we? She could get lost.’ His voice sounded clearer, his hand was caressing Tina’s head and there was a half-smile on his lips, though his eyes were hidden once more behind the sunglasses.
Meriel strapped herself into the driver's seat. ‘All right. Er – I'm sorry about the mess in your car.’ She glanced back at the pale blue leather upholstery. It was amazing how much dirt one large dog and one dusty man could spread around in a few minutes.
‘Doesn't matter. It’ll wash off. And your dog's more than earned a ride today.’
Tina gave Ben's hand another quick lick then looked from one human to the other as if to say let's go.
Meriel started the car, stealing glances in the rear view mirror to see how Ben was standing up to the movement. The car jerked as she pulled away, because she underestimated the pulling power of the engine. She heard him grunt in pain as she braked. ‘Sorry. I'm not used to a big car like this.’
‘Even a guardian angel is entitled to one or two mistakes.’
In the mirror, she could see how tightly his right hand was clenched on the top of the seat back. The jolt must have banged the ankle quite hard. He didn’t open his eyes for the rest of the journey and his mouth was a thin, bloodless line.
She went inside the hospital to get a wheelchair and an orderly brought it out. They were lucky and there was a doctor already working in the tiny A&E section, so they were seen by him a few minutes later.
He examined Ben, said, ‘Concussion’ and sent him to have his ankle X-Rayed.
Meriel waited on a very hard wooden chair till they wheeled Ben back. He was looking a little more alert, she thought, but now that his face had been washed, the bruise and swelling stood out starkly.
The doctor was very hearty and she could see that his loud voice was doing nothing for Ben's aching head. ‘Well, at least it isn’t broken, Mr Elless, so we just have to deal with bruising, concussion and a sprained ankle. Your – er,’ he shot a doubtful glance at Meriel, his eyes dropping to her ringless left hand, ‘your friend can take you home again if she promises to make sure you rest for a day or so and keeps an eye on you.’
‘Ms Ingram is just my neighbour – unfortunately.’ Ben had recovered enough to grin at Meriel as he said that. ‘I'd better book into a hotel. My uncle’s shack is no longer habitable.’
The doctor shook his head decisively. ‘I don't think that's advisable. If you haven't any friends or family who can help, we'll book you into hospital overnight.’
‘No way!’ snapped Ben, all traces of a grin vanishing from his face.
Meriel was reminded of his reaction to the suggestion that she call an ambulance.
‘Mr Elless, you must have someone with you to keep an eye on things, someone who can call for help if there are any other problems. Booking into a hotel is too risky.’
‘Well, it'll just have to do. I don’t have any family or close friends in Western Australia.’
He was looking so white and strained Meriel was afraid he’d collapse. She’d always been a sucker for someone in trouble so was only mildly surprised to hear herself saying, ‘You can come home with me, if you like, Elless. I've got a spare bedroom.’
She regretted the words as soon as they’d left her mouth, but she saw the look of utter relief on his face as he turned towards her and she couldn’t withdraw her offer.
Helping people wasn't always comfortable, but you had to do it. Even when a person thought you were a liar and a cheat.
‘I’ll get the nurse to give you instructions about keeping an eye on someone with concussion,’ the doctor said. ‘Bring Mr Elless back if you have any worries whatsoever about him.’
Chapter 13
As they waited for the paperwork, Ben stared up at Meriel from the wheelchair. ‘I've hardly endeared myself to you lately. I must be the last person you'd want as a house guest.’
‘You are. And I doubt you want to be indebted to me. But if you've nowhere else to go, you can't afford to be picky, and I daresay I can put up with you for a few days. Think how virtuous I'll feel afterwards!’
‘Do you have a spare bed? You didn't seem to have m
uch furniture.’
‘Oh!’ How ridiculous that she hadn’t even thought of that. ‘No, I don't. But I'd intended to buy one for when friends come to stay. We can stop off at the furniture store and get one. They delivered my things the same day last time.’
‘I'll buy the bed, then.’
‘Look there’s no need to do that.’
‘I’m buying it.’
‘Well – all right.’
He was still staring at her, but his voice lost that hard edge as he asked, ‘Are you sure about this, Meriel?’
‘I'm sure I'm crazy to make the offer, but you don't have any other option apart from the hospital, do you? Unless you like taking risks.’
‘No. I definitely don’t like taking risks with human lives, mine or anyone else’s. They can be extinguished all too easily.’ There was a pause, then, ‘Thank you. I’m extremely grateful.’
She could sense him studying her while the nurse gave instructions about what danger signs to watch out for in the day or two after concussion and when she sneaked a glance at Ben, his brow was wrinkled, as if he was puzzled.
As they left the hospital he was wheeled to the car, then the orderly took the wheelchair away.
‘You’ll need a walking stick, at least,’ she said. ‘Look, I’ll stop at a pharmacy. They’re bound to have one.’
‘Thanks.’ He slid backwards into the car, receiving a boisterous greeting from Tina.
Meriel called the dog to order while he levered himself carefully into position and leaned back with a tired sigh.
She drove into town and stopped at a pharmacy. ‘I won’t be long.’
Ten minutes later she came back with a walking stick, a couple of cans of lemonade and a bottle of cold water, which she gave to Tina bit by bit, only spilling about half of it.
‘All right to go now, Ben?’
He handed her the empty can. ‘Thanks. You think of everything.’
She drove slowly along the main street and stopped the car outside a furniture shop. ‘I'll just go in and buy the bed.’
‘I’ll pay.’ He fumbled in his pocket pulling out his wallet, but couldn’t find his credit card. ‘There’s a cheque book somewhere in this car. We’ll find it when we get back. And buy a queen size bed.’