Chapter Sixteen
Matt had never felt as scared as when he’d found her there on that bench, curled up like a kitten and completely unconscious. Without a second thought, he’d lifted her into his arms, hoisting her limp body over one shoulder and her backpack over the other as he ran back up the lane and over the bridge. He said her name over and over right beside her ear, and her stirring told him she was still alive, but other than that Robyn was worryingly still and silent. How he didn’t slip and fall, leaving them both to come crashing down, he had no idea, but Matt made it to the Doctor’s surgery at the bottom of Castle View with no further harm coming to either of them – a feat in itself given the extreme conditions.
Constance Mason, who usually guarded access to Dr. Bishop with the ferocity of a lioness, took one look at the bedraggled pair and rushed them through to the examination room at the back.
“The doctor is just finishing up a telephone appointment, he’ll be with you soon,” she whispered as she fussed over Robyn, indicating that Matt should lay her on the narrow bed and help remove her soggy outdoor wear.
Matt himself was happy to let someone else take charge, following the older woman’s directions as if on autopilot. It was only when she left them both, her quiet tread padding back down the corridor to the reception desk, that he felt himself take a deep breath and the panic rushed back in.
“Robyn, love, we’re at the health centre. You’re in good hands now. I’m sorry, so so sorry.”
“Matty,” she whispered, her hand desperately seeking his.
“I’m right here,” he squeezed it gently between both of his larger ones, leaning over to kiss her softly on the forehead and trying to massage some heat into her fingers, “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. We’ll see what the doc says, if we need to go to the hospital then I can leave you here and run up for the car,” he thought ahead as he spoke. Anything to fill the nerve-wracking moments until the doctor appeared. Anything to try and keep her awake.
Robyn’s lips were so pale, almost white, her cheeks bright pink, an unhealthy combination to be sure. Matt stroked her hair back and held her through the shivers that began to wrack her small frame once more.
“Well, you’re very poorly but it’s nothing we can’t manage together,” Dr. Bishop gave his verdict to the pair, after examining Robyn’s throat and ears, checking her temperature and blood pressure and listening to her chest, “there’s no coughing which is a good sign, and no indications of a chest infection though your friend Matthew here got to you just in time to prevent a worse case of hypothermia, I think. As it is, we need to get you warmed up slowly, something to bring your temperature down, and some antibiotics for that tonsilitis. It’s the worse case I’ve seen recently, so we’ll have to keep an eye out that it doesn’t end up a quinsy…”
Matt tuned out as the doctor typed up the prescription, grateful that Robyn had given permission for him to stay in the room while she was being examined. He didn’t deserve it, he knew.
The man who had been both villages’ general practitioner for the past thirty years was never one to be seen ruffled or under evident pressure, but the fact that he gave them both a lift home himself in his Land Rover four by four was testament to how close he thought Robyn had come to needing to be hospitalised. With a blanket from the doctor’s surgery wrapped tightly around her and the doctor’s own spare Barbour jacket over that, the two men had bundled her gently into the car and out again at the other end, with Matt carrying her straight up to her bedroom whilst a shocked Dennis made small talk downstairs.
“Thank you, Doctor,” Matt came rushing back down, reluctant to leave Robyn even for a minute, “thank you so much.”
“Now, make sure she takes the tablets, start with a double dose of the antibiotics like I said. It’s a shame I only had enough for today in the surgery, but you can get the prescription filled at the pharmacy in the morning.”
He saw himself out as the realisation dawned on Matt that he’d forgotten to get his dad’s tablets, “I’m so sorry, letting everyone down.” He scrubbed his hands through his wet hair, the long locks annoying him for the first time in years as they fell in shiny rats’ tails down his back.
“Looks like you’ve had plenty on your plate, Son, mine can wait till tomorrow. Now get back up there and make sure she’s okay, there’ll be no customers today.”
Swallowing was difficult and her head throbbed, but Robyn forced herself to stay awake as Matt fussed around her, only turning his back briefly while she changed into a clean pair of pyjamas. Even that simple task left her feeling extremely lightheaded, so she let him tuck her back into bed, pulling the crocheted throw from the bottom and laying that over her duvet and blanket to give an extra layer of warmth.
“That’s cosy,” Robyn whispered, “would it be okay to have a drink?”
“Of course! I’m not cut out for this nursing stuff Ruby, I’m sorry.”
“You’re doing just fine. Look how you rescued me,” she glugged back the water, wincing at the pain of swallowing, and held the glass out for a refill.
“It was my fault you were out there in the first place.”
“Can we talk about it all tomorrow? If I’m honest, I’m having trouble thinking straight.”
“Sure, do you, ah, want me to lie beside you?”
“Maybe you could just check on me in a couple of hours? I’ll text you if I need anything in the meantime.”
“Sure thing, I’ll bring you some soup and ice cream up later, and a few bottles of that sparkling flavoured water that you like.”
Even as he listed the practicalities, the hurt written across Matt’s face was plain to see. Mixed with the worry and his own exhaustion, his sad expression almost caused Robyn to relent in that moment and ask him to stay. As it was, she was a sweaty mess with no energy for a shower, needed nothing but sleep, and knew that a serious conversation would have to take place before they got too close again.
Instead, she softened the situation with a whispered, “Love you, Bestie,” and was relieved when Matt said the same in return. He took her hand nearest him on top of the blanket, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently before tucking it under the covers and leaving the room without another word.