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“Her heart rate is steady but not very strong,” Cass reported.
“Okay. So far I can’t find any additional injuries.” He continued to examine the woman.
A minibus pulled out of the castle gate and drew up alongside them.
“We need to get them both up to the clinic where I can give them a thorough evaluation.” Lyle continued searching for problems.
Cass looked at the top of his head as he worked. “Shouldn’t we wait on an ambulance?”
“That’ll take too long. It has to come from Fort William. We’re the emergency care for this area.”
“Really?”
Now he met her look. “Rural area. That’s how it is.”
That made sense.
He was an impressive man to assume the responsibility for so many lives.
The staff member who had been driving the minibus joined them.
“Ron,” Lyle said, “we need to get these people to the clinic ASAP. The man should be able to sit up front. We’ll need the stretcher for the woman.”
Ron nodded and headed back to the minibus.
Lyle backed out of the car. “Cass, would you please continue to monitor her while I have a look at the man?”
“Okay.” Cass picked up the woman’s wrist and placed two fingers on the inside. It took a second but she located a pulse. Still shallow but steady.
“I’m going to get this man into the minibus,” Lyle called. “You good there?”
“Yes.” Cass remained focused on the woman, trying not to think about her own recovering leg and arm as she began to worry about the injured woman being exposed to the cold. “Bring a blanket if you’ve got one.”
“Will do.” A few minutes later Lyle returned, pushing a gurney with Ron’s help. “It’s going to take all of us to get her loaded.”
The two men positioned the gurney right outside the door.
Lyle handed her the blanket. Cass spread it over the woman. He tucked it around her legs. “Cass, if you’ll support her head and shoulders while Ron and I get on either side of her and lift her out, I think we can make it work.”
Cass wasn’t looking forward to the pain she was sure would rocket through her leg and arm from the exertion. That didn’t matter. Caring for the hurt woman was more important. Cass worked her hands under the woman’s shoulder blades and supported her head with her upper arms. “Ready.”
“Okay Ron. One, two, lift!”
Slowly the two men maneuvered the woman over the seat onto the gurney. Keeping the woman’s upper body and neck as straight and stable as possible, Cass crawled across the seat and out the other door. By then electrifying pain was coursing through every nerve of her leg. Her arms and back were convulsing under the strain. When she tried to stand, her traumatized leg gave way. She grabbed the gurney. Though it wobbled on its wheels, she managed to balance on her other leg.
“Damn,” Lyle swore as he reached for her. “I can’t believe I got so caught up in what was happening I forgot you were a recovering patient. Sit down.” He guided her to a seat of the vehicle. Giving her a stern look, Lyle ordered, “Stay there while we get this lady loaded.”
Cass hated to admit it but she was relieved to sit. Her eyes were watering from intense pain. As she took a moment, emotions swamped her. Her loss of direction, missing Rufus, the fog of her future all came down on her. Sorrow tightened her chest.
Lyle gave her a concerned look. For a second Cass feared he would question her but instead he said, “Ron, let’s get this woman strapped down and loaded.” Mere moments later he returned to her. “It’s your turn.”
Clenching her jaw, she stood. No matter how sick and unsure she felt inside, Cass refused to let it show, even if she had to struggle to do it. She feared Lyle was too perceptive and had already guessed. Cass said with more confidence than she felt, “I can walk.”
“Maybe so, but you aren’t going down on my watch.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her to the back of the vehicle.
Hot awareness of his strong sturdy body zipped through Cass as Lyle held her tight. Unable to stop herself, she leaned against him. After hesitating a moment, she rested her arm around his middle back and hobbled to the minibus. She couldn’t ignore the sensations simmering in her core any more than she could ignore her agonizing leg.
Lyle held her steady until she reached for the frame of the door. Cass was climbing into the minibus when she was lifted off her feet and placed gently on the floor. She looked over her shoulder. “Thanks.”
“No problem. Have a seat and move down.” Lyle wasted no words. He was all business.
She did as she was told, scooting down to the end of the small bench seat. Lyle joined her. Their bodies touched all the way along one side. Strangely she wanted to rest her head against his shoulder but she resisted the urge. She refused to show any more weakness. What would Lyle think of her if she had given in to that impulse?
Ron close the doors. They were soon moving. Lyle’s attention remained on the woman on the gurney, which was locked to the floor with straps. She still hadn’t regained consciousness. Lyle took her pulse as they rode. He gave Cass a nod.
From what Lyle had said, Cass assumed that they were headed to the castle. By the winding of the road she could tell she was right. After making a big circle, Ron backed the minibus to a stop. Seconds later he opened the door.
Lyle climbed out with one agile move. “You stay put,” he told her. “I don’t want you to fall. Someone will be out to get you.” He didn’t wait for her response before he and Ron unhooked the gurney and rolled the woman inside.
Cass forced herself not to shake. Memories of lying in the rubble of that building flooded back. The sound of her calling Rufus’s name and him not answering. The waiting until someone could get to her. Panic rose when Lyle didn’t come. Pain throbbed through her body. She needed to get out of here.
She searched the area she could see. It was a part of the castle she wasn’t familiar with. The vehicle was backed up to a small loading dock with two double doors. Her impatience grew to be an almost living thing. She had to do something. What if Lyle needed her help? Just as she was about to rise, Ron came through the doors, leaving them swinging. He gave her a glance then hurried down the steps nearby. Her heart dipped. He must be going after the man up front.
With Ron and Lyle concentrating their energies on the injured people, it would be some time before someone would come to assist her. She decided she wasn’t in so much pain that she couldn’t get herself inside.
Giving her leg a rub, she pushed up off the bench, making sure she didn’t use her right arm. It took effort. With a tight jaw she made it to her feet. She slowly moved out of the minibus, steadying herself by pressing her hand on the side of it. Just as she was stepping off, the doors swung open again and out came Melissa, pushing a wheelchair.
She positioned the wheelchair just outside the van doors and stepped inside. “Lyle sent me out for you. He said you wouldn’t stay seated long. I guess he was right.”
Cass didn’t like Lyle thinking he knew her that well, but she couldn’t deny he was right. She took a step forward, trying to keep as much weight as possible off the leg. Cass couldn’t deny the wheelchair was welcome.
“Here, let me help.” Melissa supported Cass to the chair and assisted her into it.
With Cass secure, she pushed her inside. They entered a large emergency examination room complete with all the most up-to-date equipment. Cass was fascinated. She’d had no idea this area of the clinic existed. There were many facets to Dr. Sinclair and his “clinic”.
Lyle stood beside the older lady, who still lay on the gurney. Thankfully she w
as now conscious and talking to him. Ron was busy cleaning the driver’s head wound at an exam table nearby.
“What can I do to help?” Cass asked, putting her hands on the arm of the wheelchair, preparing to stand.
Lyle gave her a piercing look of reprimand. “Nothing. You’ve done enough. You need to take care of yourself.”
“Surely you need some help.” Cass looked from him to the man Ron was seeing to and back.
Another member of the nursing staff rushed in. Behind her came another.
“We have plenty of help. Melissa, please see that Cass gets to her room. I’ll let Flora know what’s happened. She may want to examine you. Melissa, Cass actually might also benefit from some time in the hot tub.” Lyle’s attention returned to his patient.
Seconds later Cass was being wheeled out of the room. It didn’t take Melissa long to get her up to her room and hot water running in the tub. Cass gratefully slipped into the whirling water, looking forward to the relief it would bring her leg and arm. She’d survived her first emergency without Rufus. It had been a sad moment but somehow an encouraging one. In a small way, Cass was moving forward.
* * *
Lyle was ready for some rest but he needed to check on Cass first. The ambulance from Fort William had arrived to take the injured woman to the hospital. Lyle had stitched the gash on the man’s forehead and sent him home with family members. After a quick check on Cass he was headed for his cottage and bed. The adrenalin spike of handling an emergency had worn him out.
He knocked lightly on Cass’s door in case she was already sleeping. After waiting a minute and getting no answer, he turned to leave. He would see her tomorrow.
The door opened a crack. “Yes?”
He could only see a sliver of her but it was enough to tell that her hair had been pushed back and her face was freshly scrubbed. She looked adorable and unsure at the same time.
What was it about her that captivated him? That pulled at him like no other woman he knew did. Was it her strength? Determination? Her vulnerability? He needed to solve the puzzle and move on. Cass wouldn’t be here long and he wasn’t going to waste his emotions on anyone he didn’t intend to keep forever. He’d already gone down that road.
