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“What’s wrong?” I climbed out of my car.
“Mr Graham collapsed in the shower. I’m calling an ambulance.”
Collapsed. Ambulance.
My heart stopped.
At a run, I took off into the castle and to his room. The blankets were tossed aside, and I continued into the bathroom, fear driving me on.
Valentine sat on the bottom of the shower stall, naked aside from a towel draped over his waist, and his long hair wet and straggly though the water was off, presumably Heather’s doing. But his eyes were open. His gaze clung to me.
“I know I’m an idiot,” he muttered.
I dropped down beside him, kneeling on the bath mat. “Are you hurt?”
“Naw. Can ye tell the nurse I dinnae need an ambulance?”
“I’m not telling her any such thing. You collapsed.”
“Aye, because I didn’t pace myself.”
“Or take his medication,” Heather said from behind me. “An ambulance is on its way.”
“I’m not going to hospital again,” he grouched.
“Let the medical professionals be the judge of that,” she ordered.
“If ye ladies step back, I’ll get myself up.”
He put his palms down to brace himself, but Heather protested.
“Wait for the ambulance, will ye? I can’t support your weight if ye go down again.”
Valentine eyed her. “I was in the army. I can get myself back to bed. Would’ve already if my brain hadn’t crapped out.”
Slowly, he pushed to his feet, so much bigger than Heather and me. I hustled to move in on him, earning a grateful half-smile.
Heather stepped back, then angled to get on his other side. His towel fell, but for once, Valentine didn’t make a quip. From his twisted lips and a rapid inhale, it was obvious he was in pain and suffering from his injury.
In the bedroom, he limped to the bed and dropped heavily at the end. He’d paled all the more.
“There. Managed that without expiring,” he grumbled.
The nurse popped her hands onto her hips. “Lucky for you. That army comment explains everything. Military men make the worst patients. Your girlfriend here will agree with me.”
“We’re just friends,” I said automatically.
Valentine said nothing.
Turning around to keep busy, I fetched clean towels and brought them back to him. Valentine gave quiet thanks, his fingers taking a quick squeeze of mine.
“I’m going to do some observations, but I’m also going to need to change that dressing ye soaked.” Heather took up her medical bag.
“Cancel the ambulance?” Valentine suggested.
“We might need it yet. Ye could have a concussion,” she replied.
“I didnae hit my head. Just slid to the floor.”
