the way to steady the stretcher as you make the descent. My harness is attached to the line so that I’ll be alongside you. My feet will be on the base rail of the stretcher. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll take care of you. Trust me.’
She closed her eyes fleetingly. She had long ago given up on any idea that he would be there to take care of her, or that he would be by her side whenever she needed him. Those were dreams from fantasy-land, weren’t they? As her brother’s friend, he had always been around, coming to the house, teasing her playfully until warm colour had filled her cheeks…but that was where it had ended. She had always been stranded on the fringes of his circle, looking on from afar, watching him struggle with his own demons and being unable to do anything to help.
He gave the signal to the waiting rescue team and then supported the basket stretcher as it was lifted over the rail. Then he followed, true to his word, accompanying her every bit of the way, his feet resting on the base of the stretcher, his long body leaning over her, his hands guiding the rope that lowered them to the ground. It was strangely comforting having him watch over her that way.
It was all over in a matter of minutes. ‘You’re safe now,’ Ben said, giving her a reassuring look as they reached ground level. ‘Home and dry. No worries.’
The people assembled in the courtyard were clearly impressed with the smoothness of the operation, and there were smiles all around. Ben supervised Jasmine’s transfer into the waiting ambulance, and then Mike appeared with steaming mugs of coffee. Once she was out of range of the onlookers, the patient miraculously recovered.
Freed from the restraints of the harness, she sat up and looked around at the interior of the ambulance. The windows were darkened and with the doors closed they were spared from prying eyes.
‘That was a great show,’ Mike said, looking from one to the other. ‘A very smooth rescue mission…so you’ll be able to go home now and relax.’ He paused. ‘Until next time.’ He grinned at Jasmine’s pained expression.
‘I don’t think you should be having any ideas on that score,’ she told him, giving him a look from under her lashes and clasping her coffee mug with both hands so that the warmth seeped into her. ‘I’m not likely to be volunteering again any time soon.’
Mike feigned disappointment. ‘Are you quite sure about that? I had you pencilled in for at least ten more meetings.’
She frowned. There was no way.
Sitting across from her on the opposite stretcher bed, Ben gave a wry smile. ‘Jassie copes well enough on mountain slopes where she can fend for herself,’ he said, ‘but this is not quite the same. She’s never been one to rely on others, so putting herself in someone else’s hands must have been quite an ordeal. She’s always been an independent soul.’
Jasmine sipped her coffee. His comment startled her. He seemed very sure of himself, as though he knew these things for a fact, so could it be that in the past he had actually been aware of her presence when she had thought him oblivious? It was true they had belonged to a group that regularly climbed the fells, but she had always teamed up with a friend on those occasions, whilst he had been accompanied by his fellow medical students. She frowned. Had he really taken note of what she was doing back then?
‘Well, she did a great job today…you both did,’ Mike said. He stood up. ‘I’ll say goodbye, then. Drink up and get warm. I should go and see what the rest of the team are up to…so thanks for your help this afternoon, both of you. I’ll look forward to meeting up with you again.’
They nodded and murmured their goodbyes, and Mike left the ambulance, closing the door behind him to keep out the cold wind.
‘What will you be doing now?’ Ben asked, looking at Jasmine. ‘I’m guessing this is your last day, isn’t it? Are you planning on going straight back to the hotel?’
She nodded. ‘I need to pack up my things and start heading back to the Lake District. It’s been a good week, but I’m looking forward to going home. I’m supposed to be helping my mother put up Christmas decorations this weekend, and once that’s done I’ll make a start on my own place.’
‘Are you sure that it’s wise to travel that distance in this weather? It’s over sixty miles away, isn’t it?’ Ben was frowning. ‘The snow doesn’t seem to be clearing up, and if it thickens and starts to settle, the roads could soon be covered. Wouldn’t you do better to stay overnight at the hotel?’
‘And risk being stranded here?’ She shook her head. ‘The main roads should stay fairly clear, I imagine, if the gritters have been at work. My room is booked for the night, but I think I’d prefer to set off as soon as possible and take my chances.’
‘Hmm.’ He studied her thoughtfully. ‘So you won’t be staying to have dinner at the hotel before you leave? It had occurred to me that perhaps we might have a meal together and talk over old times.’
She hesitated a moment before answering. From the way he was talking, he must believe that everything that had gone before was simply water under the bridge. The fact that his thoughtless actions had ruined her brother’s life hadn’t made so much as a dent in his confidence, had it? Or perhaps he felt that enough time had passed, the situation had changed, and they could all go on as if nothing had happened. For her own part, she couldn’t make up her mind whether he was entirely to blame for what had gone on. She was fiercely loyal to her brother, but sometimes life didn’t turn out quite the way people wanted.
‘That would have been something to look forward to,’ she answered softly, ‘but I daren’t risk any delay. I just have to stop by the hotel to pick up a suitcase and some packages—I managed to do quite a bit of Christmas shopping while I’ve been staying here. It seemed like too good an opportunity to miss, looking around the shops in a different town.’
Still, the thought of sitting down to eat a hot meal before she set off was very tempting right now—she wasn’t even going to think about how it would be to stay with Ben for a little while longer.
As an afterthought, she added, ‘But perhaps I could ask room service to send up a light meal and we could talk while I do my packing? After all, it probably wouldn’t be wise to start the journey on an empty stomach, would it?’
As soon as the words slipped out, she was regretting them. What had possessed her to suggest such a thing? Was she mad? He was her brother’s sworn enemy, a heartbreaker with no conscience, and here she was, actively encouraging him to spend time with her…and in her hotel room, at that. Had she taken leave of her senses?
‘I’d like that,’ Ben said, a look of satisfaction settling on his features. ‘I’ll follow you back there, just as soon as you’re ready to leave.’
‘I’m ready now.’ She’d already burnt her boats, so she may as well go where the tide led her. ‘As you say, the weather’s not good, so it would be as well not to delay too long.’ She stood up, taking time to adjust her scarf before picking up her empty cup and heading towards the door of the vehicle. Ben responded swiftly, unfurling his long body from the seat and going after her.
They went to the car park, and from there they started the journey to the Royal Pennant Hotel. Ben followed her for some two miles along the Yorkshire roads until at last they turned into the hotel’s wide forecourt. He drove carefully, she noticed, all the time mindful of the road conditions. The snow had turned to sleet, making the lanes slippery and treacherous.
She wasn’t looking forward to the long drive home. Her small car was reliable, but
