Chapter SEVENTEEN
We climbed the stairs with the others to Sylvia’s room.
Mark’s arm around my waist for support felt so good, I found myself playing along with it, leaning into him slightly. (I was feeling almost ‘normal’
again but I’d keep that to myself for now!)
He’d started to tell me I should stay downstairs and rest. But then he’d seen the look on my face and he’d known of old that it was useless trying to insist. Once I’d made up my mind about something, I wasn’t easily deterred. And I needed to be there for Sylvia, to support her, whatever awful thing had happened to upset her.
Sylvia was sitting on her bed, staring up at Mick. The glaring overhead light was on and he was holding her wedding dress up and examining the fabric.
‘But how?’
Ellie was asking in dismay, as I realised with a sudden shock that a large hole had been burned through the material of the skirt.
‘It would have to have been really close to a fire for that to happen, wouldn’t it?’
Sylvia threw up her arms in despair.
‘It was like that when I came in. Still on the hanger where I left it. And I know it wasn’t burned when I was getting ready for dinner. I would have noticed, wouldn’t I?’
Then she shrugged hopelessly.
‘But maybe I wouldn’t. Maybe it was like that and I just didn’t see it.’
‘Of course you would have noticed,’
murmured Mick, taking her hand.
‘You’re as sharp as a tack, my love . . . as sharp as you ever were. No, it must have happened while we were all down at dinner.’
‘But how?’
Distressed, Sylvia got to her feet and walked towards the window.
‘Is it linked to the screams we heard?’
‘I think we’ve decided the screams were probably just wild animals in the woods,’
said Primrose, joining her gran at the window and slipping a comforting arm around her.
Sylvia gave a little sigh.
‘Look, it’s still pouring with rain out there. I can’t even go home to collect another dress for the wedding tomorrow,’
she murmured.
‘Not with the roads all flooded and impassable.’
‘You could walk down the aisle wearing a bin bag and I’d love you just as much,’
pointed out Mick, and there was a chorus of aaahs. He took her hand and smiled.
‘It’s true.’
Sylvia turned, as if she was about to say something to him. But then she swayed a little and clutched her chest.
‘Ooh, I feel dizzy. I think I might faint.’
She clutched Mick’s arm.
‘Come on,’
he urged, supporting her over to a chair, where she sank down gratefully.
‘You’ve had a horrible shock.’
He frowned.
‘Did you take your medication?’
‘What?’
Sylvia looked up at him, confused for a moment.
‘Oh, yes. Yes, I took it earlier.’
Mick bent so that his eyes were on a level with hers.
‘Are you sure you’ve taken it today? You’ve been so busy and out of your normal routine, maybe you forgot?’
She looked blankly at Mick.
‘The medication?’
he prompted gently.
‘I remember being worried we might forget it so I made sure I put it in your blue overnight bag.’
‘Yes. I remember now. I looked for it in the blue bag but I couldn’t find it. Did you put it in a side pocket?’
‘I must have done.’
Mick smiled and kissed her forehead.
‘Sit there and rest. I’ll go and get it for you.’
‘Maybe you should have a lie down,’
I suggested, hunkering down next to Sylvia. She looked frighteningly pale.
She nodded.
‘Can you help me?’
‘Of course.’
Primrose and Fen rushed over and gently helped her to her feet. But Sylvia stumbled a little on the way over to the bed, and as we watched in alarm, she gave a cry and slumped in their arms.
Mick appeared at that moment and his face fell when he saw his wife-to-be lying unconscious on the bed.
‘Sylvia! Oh, no, what’s happened?’
He went to the bed and we made room for him to sit down and take her hand.
‘Sylvia? Sylvia, wake up, love. Please wake up.’
My heart was in my mouth.
I was willing Sylvia to open her eyes.
I wanted her to open her eyes and look at Mick and then laugh and say how silly she’d been not to have taken her medication in time.
But she seemed to be out cold.
Mick turned to Primrose, who was white as a sheet.
‘I know I put her meds in the blue bag but they’re just not there anymore. We really need the emergency insulin but that’s gone along with everything else.’
‘I’ll call for help,’
said Mark, already on his phone.
‘And then we’ll search the house for those meds. If you know you brought them, Mick, they must surely be here somewhere.’