Page 16 of The Twilight Garden

For a few seconds, it was as if she was trying to think about everything in the universe all at once but not one single thing made sense. She didn’t know where she was, which way was up or how she was feeling. Gradually though, the chaos in her head cleared a little and she was able to focus on a few specifics, namely the burning pain in her ankle and, oddly, her jaw.

She lifted her head slightly, experimentally, feeling an unaccustomed stiffness in her neck. The pain level remained the same, however, so she lifted it some more, using one hand to push herself a little more upright. The world swayed from side to side and she gasped, trying to steady herself on ground which seemed to roil and tilt beneath her.

A pair of knees appeared, and a hand gripped each of her shoulders.

‘Whoa, steady! Easy does it…’ The voice wasn’t Rowan’s but… She blinked hard, trying to clear the fog of confusion in her head. ‘Let’s sit a minute before you try to stand. You’ve taken a hard tumble.’

Gemma struggled to make out the words being said. Embarrassment was adding to the tumult in her brain, and conscious thought seemed something she was no longer capable of. She tried again to push herself upright, hissing through her teeth with pain as she did so.

‘I mean it. Stay where you are for a moment and catch your breath. I heard the thud as you hit the ground – you went down hard.’

‘I slipped, I…’

‘Yeah, I saw you. The ground’s a slick just here.’ One of the hands left her shoulder to take her arm. There was a sharp intake of breath. ‘What on earth…’ The voice trailed off.

Gemma swallowed, the pain blooming in her ankle, but there was something else beginning to claim her attention. Something which made no sense at all. A voice she recognised, but which had no place being here. She struggled to sit, finally raising her head to look at the person who had come to her rescue. The one whose hands still held her. And it felt as if all her breath had left her body for the second time that day.

‘Leo?’ she squawked.

The other voice sounded even more shocked than her own. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’

Gemma raised a hand in a helpless gesture. ‘I don’t know.’ She was determined not to cry but the wobble in her voice was betraying her, which somehow made it worse.

Squelching feet sounded behind her. ‘Gemma!’ Willow came round to where Gemma could see her. ‘Oh my God, are you okay?’

Gemma gave a weak smile. ‘I think so…’

‘What happened? One minute you were upright, the next you were sprawled on the ground.’

‘I just slipped.’ Gemma frowned. ‘It all happened so fast, I couldn’t stop myself.’

‘You were bloody lucky,’ said Leo. ‘You went down with an almighty bump and your head just missed a lump of old stone. A few more inches to the right⁠—’

He broke off suddenly as if the words had become stuck in his throat, and as Gemma raised her eyes to his, a shiver ran through her. The expression on his face was unbearable. She forced her gaze away.

‘Sorry,’ she said to Willow. ‘I’ll be fine in a minute. I’m just a bit shaken.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ she said gently, laying her hand on Gemma’s arm. ‘Are you hurt?’

‘I twisted my ankle,’ she replied. ‘And my neck’s sore, my jaw…’ She touched it with a tentative hand, wincing as she made contact.

‘You’ve a bit of a graze,’ said Willow, peering closer. ‘But hopefully nothing worse than that.’

‘She did hit her head pretty hard,’ said Leo. ‘I’m worried she might have concussion.’

‘Then let’s see if we can get her back to the house. Do you think you can stand?’

Gemma nodded. ‘Yeah, I…’

‘Easy now,’ said Leo, sliding one arm under hers.

Gemma’s face felt as if it was on fire. This couldn’t be happening. Not here. And not now.

The morning hadn’t exactly been a success as it was. She’d done nothing apart from make herself look stupid, and ignorant. Collected a few eggs, and that was about it. Willow had been kindness itself – patient and encouraging – but now, given the level of pain in her ankle, Gemma probably wouldn’t be fit for much else the entire rest of the day. That was, however, the least of her problems.

Inch by inch, Gemma struggled upright, determined to walk by herself, but the world was still spinning and pain flared the moment she placed her foot on the ground.

‘Come on, let me take your weight. I’ll carry you if I have to.’