‘Her legs are broken and she’s lost a lot of blood. No sign of spinal injury, and although she’s drifting in and out of consciousness, which is a worry, I don’t see any head trauma either. They’ll do a CAT scan...’ He lapsed into silence, realising perhaps that his face had already told Nell what she wanted to know. There was every reason to be optimistic.
‘Good. And you’re okay?’
‘Yes. I knew there was a reason for the last couple of days’ rest.’ He chuckled, and then saw Nell’s hand, still absent-mindedly rubbing her leg. ‘Cramp?’
‘Yes. It just aches a bit now. Ted’s going with them?’
Hugo grinned. ‘He’s going to see that the baby’s all right and handed over to its family.’
‘Good.’ Nell chuckled. ‘Think he’ll give it up that easily?’
‘They might have a bit of a struggle on their hands. He’s bonding fast.’
They sat together in silence as the ambulance drew away, followed by the fire and rescue truck. The other driver was standing by a police car that had arrived at the scene and was parked a couple of hundred yards along the carriageway, and the people who had stopped had got back into their cars and resumed their journeys.
It was suddenly quiet. In between the swoosh of passing vehicles, Nell could hear birds singing and the sun was warm on her face. If it hadn’t been for her own crumpled dress and the spots of blood on the rolled-up sleeves of Hugo’s white shirt, it would have been a fine day for a walk in the countryside.
‘Have you seen my shoes?’ A thought struck her.
‘Ted put them in the car.’ Hugo turned his face up to the sun, as if he were thinking the very same thing. It was the quiet after a storm, in which they both began to move from the urgency of a wrecked car by the roadside back into the other reality of their everyday lives.
Or back into Hugo’s reality. However much he tried to involve her, it seemed as if he was just giving her something to do, making her feel as if she wasn’t just an accessory on his arm. But in truth, that’s what she was. This was Hugo’s country, and his mission, and Nell was just helping him out for a while. She’d be back in London, reading about him in the newspapers, before very long.
‘Why so glum?’ Nell turned to find that he was looking steadily at her.
‘Nothing. I was just hoping that the woman will be all right.’ She got to her feet, flexing the still-sore muscles in her leg, watching as Hugo stood. He was holding his left arm loosely by his side, not moving it but seeming to have suffered no ill effects from his exertions.
He opened the back door of his car, motioning her inside, and Nell stood her ground. ‘If you think you’re going to drive...’
‘No, I don’t think that.’ He reached into his pocket, drawing out the car keys and put them into her hand. ‘Just get into the back for a moment.’
Nell got in, shifting over to let him follow her. He closed the door and then turned, reaching for her ankle and propping her leg up onto his lap. ‘Looks as if your leg’s still sore, which gives me a marvellous opportunity to return the favour you’ve been doing me.’
The look in his eyes wasn’t anything like Nell hoped that her demeanour was when she massaged his shoulder. But his face was the model of propriety. She sat still, feeling his fingers on the back of her leg, just above the knee.
‘Ah!’ For a moment, all she could think about was his touch. And the way that the sore muscle at the back of her leg was reacting and then relaxing as his fingers pressed a little harder. ‘That’s it. A bit higher?’
It sounded a little bit like sex, and felt a lot like it, too. Rather than stare into his eyes, the way that she wanted to, she squeezed them shut.
‘Right there?’ Even his voice sounded like the honey-smooth tones of a lover.
‘Yes, you’ve got it. That’s much better.’
Her leg felt a great deal better. The rest of her body was beginning to ache for the same touch. Very slow, and as sure as the careful progress of his fingers on her leg. Closing her eyes hadn’t been such a good idea after all, she could practically see Hugo making love to her behind her eyelids.
‘Thanks. That’s fine now.’ When she opened her eyes, she thought that she saw the hint of a smile on his face. The dark echoes of what she’d been imagining in his green eyes.
‘Wouldn’t want your foot to slip off the clutch...’ His fingers kept massaging.
‘This is an automatic.’
‘Ah, yes. Silly me.’ Hugo let her go and Nell pushed her skirt back down to her knees. Feeling in his pocket, he brought out the ring. ‘Don’t forget this.’
Nell smiled, holding out her hand. Whenever she took the ring off, he always put it back on her finger again. She liked that, even if it was only temporary and didn’t mean what everyone thought it did.
He leaned towards her, as if he were about to kiss her. But something attracted his attention and Nell turned to see one of the policemen strolling towards the car. Hugo grinned at her, getting out of the car and walking towards the man.
He seemed to have a sixth sense about that. Hugo was always on guard, aware of who was around him and what they were doing. Nell supposed that came from living his life in the spotlight, never being able to walk down the street alone and unnoticed. It was why he guarded his secrets so carefully. He had to know that something was private.