‘I’m going to check the chapel.’
‘The chapel? Why on earth would she go there in the middle of her birthday party?’ Kalani asked.
‘It’s just where she goes, when… when she needs a rest.’
‘That makes no sense.’
‘I’m pretty sure she’ll have found a bench in the garden somewhere, ended up chatting with someone and lost track of time,’ Deidre said.
I shrugged, not wanting to delay things by arguing with them, and turned to go. A moment later, Gideon caught up with me.
‘You’re sure she’s there, aren’t you?’ he asked as I hurried down the path.
‘Enough to bother looking.’
‘You know what’s going on with her.’
He grabbed my elbow as I stumbled, keeping me upright.
‘She’s going to tell you after the party. I promised I wouldn’t say anything until then.’
He gave a grim nod, and we kept on going.
Shoving open the chapel door, Gideon right behind me using the torch on his phone to guide us, I scrambled down the aisle to the crumpled heap in the far corner that, as I grew closer, took the form of my precious friend.
32
Hattie was conscious, just about, but folded in on herself, head resting on her knees and sweat dripping down her face. The hand I cradled in mine was clammy and ice-cold.
I tried asking her a few questions, but all she could manage was an unearthly moan. By the time I turned to Gideon, he’d already started dialling for an ambulance.
‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘We need to call her doctor.’
‘She needs A&E, not a GP appointment,’ Gideon said, with a curt head-shake.
‘Not her GP. Dr Ambrose. Hang on.’ I had my phone in my jumpsuit pocket, so it took no time to find the right website and click on the out-of-hours number.
‘He’s her private doctor. He told us to call in an emergency. He’ll know what to do.’
To my immeasurable relief, Dr Ambrose was on call that evening. He listened carefully, asked me for some further specific details and dispatched a private ambulance in under two minutes.
‘What’s going on, Sophie?’ Gideon asked, through a tightly clenched jaw.
Before I could figure out how to answer, Hattie groaned again, straining to lift up her head, so all my attention was focussed on her until the ambulance arrived. By that time, more people had gathered on the grass outside the chapel door. Hattie was stretchered out surrounded by anxious faces, unspoken questions and Lizzie’s muffled sobs.
Thankfully, those awesome Gals soon took command of the situation, ordering everybody back to the house, where some stayed to help clear up and others made a discreet exit. I found Ezra and Naomi as soon as I could, giving them tight hugs and kisses goodbye before Gideon drove us both to the hospital.
* * *
‘We’re here to see Harriet Langford,’ Gideon told the hospital receptionist, his voice tight with worry.
‘Name, please?’
‘Gideon Langford.’
The woman typed for a few seconds. ‘Ah, yes. You’re her next of kin.’
Gideon gave an impatient shrug.
