No More Lonely Nights

'I'm standing still,' he said in that strange voice, his arm going round her waist, and this time she didn't push him away, because it was getting much harder for her to stay on her feet. Everything was going round and round as if she was in a washing-machine. No, she thought—a tumble-dryer, I'm in a tumble-dryer.

'What do you mean, a tumble-dryer?' Cass asked, guiding her towards the house. She hadn't realised she was thinking aloud, and giggled.

'I'm sick of you getting inside my head! Stop listening to me think!' She closed her eyes because she felt so sick and it was worse with her eyes open. 'How could you do it?' she asked as she suddenly found herself floating about, weightless.

'Do what?' he asked, oddly close to her, and she frowned.

'Are you inside my head? Is that how you know what I'm thinking?'

She felt his arms tighten, and then it dawned on her that he was carrying her and she had her head on his shoulder. That was why he sounded so close.

'Stop talking and lie still,' he said huskily. 'I'm not inside your head.'

'Why should I believe you?' Her voice was scornful. 'Hit-and-run driver!'

'Hit-and-run driver?'

She laughed, wincing again. 'Don't bother to sound so bewildered! I saw the car, even if I didn't see your face. You can't get out of it this time. I'll make sure you pay my garage bill; this isn't going on my insurance, it's going on yours.' Talking so much was exhausting, and she stopped. She felt so strange. So weak and…

The next thing she knew was that she was lying on a bed and a strange man was bending over her. He made soothing noises when she tried to get up, push him away.

'I'm a doctor, just lie still. Everything's OK.'

Sian believed his eyes rather than his voice; she lay still and he lifted her lids and shone lights into her eyes, watching her wince, then he asked questions, and while she answered her eyes roved round the room until they found a familiar object. It turned out to be Cass.

She frowned, looking away. 'I'm fine now, thanks,' she told the doctor, but he smiled politely and shook his head.

'Well, I think we'll have you in hospital tonight for a few tests—you may have concussion. You were only unconscious for a moment, but with head injuries that might not mean much. An X-ray is essential, and some hourly observation. It's lucky I was here.' He straightened and smiled at Cass. 'Even if I am supposed to be off duty!'

'Sorry to find you some work for your spare time!' Cass said lightly, but his eyes were not amused; they were grave. 'I'll drive her to hospital if you'll ring and let them know we're coming. No need for you to come with us, Piers.'

'Well, I'm not a head man or any sort of specialist—but that's a superficial cut on her head; flying glass, I found some in the blood. She probably fainted from shock. I'd be happy to drive her in, though, Cass, just in case I'm wrong and it's more serious than I diagnose.'

'Well, that's up to you,' said Cass.

Sian grimaced from one to the other. 'While you're arguing over who's taking me to hospital, I could be dying from loss of blood.'

'Oh, the cut isn't serious. It just bled a lot.' The doctor was smiling, though.

'Oh, well, what's a few pints of blood?' Sian said

drily and both men laughed.

'Nowhere near that much,' said the doctor. 'Blood always looks much worse than it really is. One glass of water and you'll make up for what you lost, and I've stopped the bleeding. There's a bandage on your head.'

'You look very interesting with it,' assured Cass.

'What a comfort!' Sian said, her glance at him hostile. 'While I'm in hospital, perhaps you'll see that my car is pulled out of that ditch and taken to a good garage for repairs.'

He frowned. 'Don't worry about your car.'

'I do worry about it. You may be able to afford to run any number of cars, but I just have one and it costs me the earth just to keep it full of petrol and have it serviced regularly. Repair bills could cripple me, but I meant what I said! You're paying, and you'd better report the accident to the police, too.'

His face was sombre. 'There's no need to involve them. I'll pay all the bills.'

Sian gave him a contemptuous smile, her green eyes icy. 'I had a suspicion you wouldn't want the police informed. Very well. Keep them out of it, but you'd better see to it that I get back my car in tip-top condition.' She sat up gingerly and Cass moved to help. She pushed him away. 'I can manage!'

'I'll carry you!'