Guilty Love (Completed)

Chapter Thirteen

"What happened?" Ted asked, then before she could answer that, "The chopper! I remember..., it crashed, didn't it? Am I imagining it, or did it blow up?" "It exploded, we all got blown off our feet and you seem to have been hit by flying metal, but Ritchie took a look at you and he says it isn't serious."

Ted half smiled. "He took a course in first aid, so he'd know. So that's what's giving me this headache -- it's like a gong. I feel as if someone is beating on my head. I suppose you haven't got an aspirin on you?" "I'm sorry, Ted," Linzi said gently, "I don't think you should take any pills until you see a doctor. Ritchie will get one here as fast as he can." Ted grimaced, put his hand to his head again, looked at his fingers and groaned.

"Ugh..., blood.., I hate the sight of blood, especially my own. It makes me feel weak."

He tried to lift his head and Linzi said urgently, "Don't move, Ted, you must keep still." "I just wanted to see..., is my chopper a write-off?" She nodded and Ted looked sad. "Damn. I loved that machine." "You'll get another one," she comforted. "It won't be the same." He coughed, frowned, his eyes flickering, then he tried to sit up again.

"Smoke... Linzi, where's that black smoke coming from? Is the chopper still burning?"

"The wheat caught fire..." She stopped as Ted closed his eyes. "Ted, don't pass out again..., talk to me...,"

He coughed again, opened his eyes, reached out a hand and gripped her hard when she took it. "Help me up, Linzi! I'm not dying here waiting to be cooked to a crisp!" She looked over her shoulder and saw the black smoke pouring up, the flames as crimson as poppies. The fire had changed direction, was spreading their way. Panic streaked through her. Ted staggered to his feet and she slid her arm around his waist, supporting him.

"Lean on me! I'm stronger than I look, I can take your weight."

They made their way along the wall, working away from the raging fire, keeping close to the reedy, rank ditch which was choked with weeds and the haunt of buzzing insects. They were almost at the far side when Ted reeled and had to sit down again. Ted was coughing, breathless, shaking. "I'm only just beginning to realise how close a call that was!" he muttered, putting his head down on his raised knees.

"Don't think about what might have happened, it didn't, we're fine, and you'll be there when the new baby arrives," Linzi hurriedly said, stroking the tangled, sweat-dampened hair back from his pale face. Blood was trickling down into his eyes, he irritably rubbed it away and Linzi remembered that she had a packet of make up wipes in her bag and searched for them. At least she could make Ted a little more comfortable. The circles of lint were soaked in cool witch-hazel. Ted gave a groan of pleasure as she began delicately cleaning his temples.

"Hmm.., that's marvellous.., what is it?" Ted said and asked. "I take eye make up off with these little pad," she explained. "I suppose you don't have something really useful in that bag of yours, like a bottle of whisky?" Ted laughed and Linzi smiled a little, too. Then, a moment later, heard the engine of some heavy vehicle like a tractor coming through the gate on the far side of the field.

"Is it Ritchie?" asked Ted, and she smiled, her face bright with relief. "Yes, in a Range Rover. I hope he found a doctor!"

The vehicle moved through the standing wheat, mowing it down. When the Range Rover halted, a large young man wearing cricket whites climbed out, a bag in one hand.

"My patient?" he asked, looking at Ted. "Yes," Linzi backed off, leaving him alone with Ted, and Ritchie joined her. "I was lucky," he said with a grin. "I was able to hitch a lift into the village from the local milk lorry. The driver told me I'd find the doctor playing cricket on the village green, he dropped me there and I was just in time to see the doctor bowl someone out. I don't think I was too popular with the rest of the village team, he's their best bowler, but he had his Range Rover there so we were able to get back here fast."

"I've never been so glad to see anyone!" she admitted, and he smiled down at her, putting an arm around her. "Are you OK?" She felt a pulse beating hard in her neck and shifted so that his arm fell. "Fine," she said huskily. "I see that you had to move Ted further along, was he conscious then, or did you drag him?" "He walked, with my help. The fire and smoke seemed to be getting closer."

Ritchie nodded and walked off to stare across the field they had landed in, his face grim. "There's a fire engine on the way too," he said, just as they both heard the changing of bells.

"Speak of the devil!"

Ritchie added. They watched the fire engine drive into the next field and halt. The fireman leap out in fire gear, looking like robots or aliens from outer space in their breathing apparatus, directing some sort of foam spray at the burning helicopter. They could heard the crackle of walkie-talkies as an officer gave his men orders, then the doctor stood up and came over to them.

"The cut is superficial and he isn't showing any signs of concussion. I'd say he was hit by a flying piece of metal, but it seems to have been a glancing blow. With any luck he'll be fine. We must get him to hospital, though, for X-rays and observation. I can take you all."
As they drove away, Linzi watched the flames dying down, the black smoke rolling over the countryside. "Fire is a terrifying force," she thought aloud. "Very destructive," agreed the doctor, turning out on the main road. Gloomily Ted and Ritchie stared back at the burnt-out helicopter.

When they reached the hospital, half an hour's drive away, Ted was whisked away to the X-ray department, and Linzi and Ritchie both had brief check-ups before being told they were fine and could leave. Ted was going to be kept in overnight, at least, and maybe for a few more days.