‘Amber. Amber! Can you hear me?’
‘Oh my God, is she all right?’
‘What the hell happened, Felix?’
‘I brought her up some painkillers because she said she had a headache. We were just talking when her eyes rolled back in her head. Next thing, she went down like a ton of bricks.’
‘Did she hit her head?’
‘I caught her just in time.’
‘Thank God. Amber, it’s Dominic. Can you hear me, angel?’
‘She’s out cold, Dom. Must be the heat. Or the wine.’
‘She didn’t have any wine, Simone. She doesn’t drink.’
‘Yeah, you heard what she said at lunch. Her mum was an alkie.’
‘Willow! Not now. Make yourself useful and get a damp flannel.’
‘No, look, I think she’s coming round! I swear her eyelids just fluttered.’
‘Hey, baby, it’s Dom. Can you hear me?’
I prise open my eyes. Four faces slowly swim into focus above me. Dominic, Simone, Felix and Willow.
‘Willow, would you pass me that cushion?’
Willow’s face disappears then returns. Dominic cups the back of my head in his palm, eases a cushion underneath, then takes my hand and squeezes it in his.
‘You gave us quite a fright.’
‘What happened? I don’t…I don’t remember.’ Instinctively, I reach down, flinching when I touch bare flesh.
Dom must sense my distress as he barks at Simone, ‘Get a sheet, will you?’
She whips a sheet from the bed and he lays it over me. ‘You fainted. Sunstroke, probably. Lucky Felix was here to catch you.’
Lucky.
I struggle to stand, but Dominic lays a hand on my shoulder. ‘Stay there for a bit, just until your head stops spinning.’ He glances up at the others. ‘It’s OK, I’ll take it from here.’
‘If you’re sure?’ Felix’s face looms over me again and I snap my eyes shut.
‘I’m sure. We need to give her some space. I’ll shout if I need anything.’
Shoes slap on the marble floor and the door swishes shut. Only then do I open my eyes again. Dom is gazing at me tenderly.
‘Still dizzy?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Shall we get you into bed?’
‘Please.’
He helps me up and into the bed, arranging pillows behind me and handing me a glass of water like I’m an invalid. ‘Just sips,’ he cautions, smoothing my hair away from my face.
