‘Okay. Can the ambulance get to us here?’
‘Yes, the park gates are wide enough for them to get through, and they can use the service road that runs through the park, right there.’
He nodded. ‘Good. We’ll just sit tight here, then.’
* * *
The paramedic from the ambulance returned Charlotte’s scarf to her with a wry smile. ‘Try washing it in cold water...’
‘Thanks.’ Charlotte took the scarf. Hot water would only fix the bloodstain and it would never come out. Cold water might do the trick.
‘I should have offered to rip my shirt up for a bandage.’ Edward’s voice sounded behind her. ‘It’s already ruined.’
Ruined it might be, and bloodstained and dirty from the lake, clinging to his shoulders and chest in the places where the sun hadn’t dried it, but it was still better on than off. Marginally. When he’d emerged from the water the white lawn fabric had left very little to the imagination.
‘Probably best you keep it.’ She grinned up at him. ‘We don’t want to get all the mothers talking. I have to face them at the school gates, remember.’
He gave her a hurt look. ‘I’m allowed to rip up my shirt for bandages, aren’t I? I thought it was practically par for the course when a doctor has to improvise.’
‘Only when there’s nothing else to use. I’m a nurse, remember, and I had a scarf handy.’
‘Hmm. Shame to spoil it, though.’ He caught the end of the fine material through his fingers. ‘It’s pretty.’
It was her favourite. It went with her blouse, and she’d chosen both from her wardrobe this morning because they were a little smarter than the T-shirts she usually wore at the weekend. If she had allowed herself to examine her motives for that choice she would have had to admit that Edward had played a major part in it.
‘It’ll wash out.’
‘Hmm. You’ve got a spot of blood on your cuff, as well.’
‘That’ll wash out, too.’ Charlotte rolled the sleeves of her blouse up a little, to hide the stain.
‘Yeah. Look, I’ll take it home with me and put it in a bowl of cold water. Sam’s father...’
‘Dave?’
‘Yeah, Dave. He’s offered to run me home to get a change of clothes. We’ll only be half an hour.’
‘You’ll be coming back?’
‘Of course. We haven’t eaten our picnic yet.’ Edward watched as Laura’s mother climbed into the ambulance, shepherding her son with her. ‘His ears are going to be ringing tonight.’
‘I imagine so.’ It was so easy. You only had to take your eye off them for one minute... Charlotte shook her head.
‘Isaac’s okay.’ He pointed towards Sam and Isaac, playing together in the grass under Maggie’s watchful eye.
‘Yeah, I know.’ Still she couldn’t help the terrible feeling of foreboding.
‘I can understand your fears. With everything that’s happened. But no one’s going to let anything happen to him.’
‘No.’ She had to be content with that. With Edward’s promises, his father’s reassurances. ‘Look, you’re shivering. You must be freezing.’ His hair and shirt were beginning to dry, but Edward’s jeans were still soaking wet.
He shrugged. ‘I could do with getting those dry clothes. Will you be okay here with Isaac?’
‘Yes, fine. See you later.’
He grinned. ‘I wouldn’t miss this afternoon for the world.’
* * *