the noise of the traffic.
As if aware of her grandmother’s cries, the little girl’s eyes flickered.
Alice leaned forward and spoke softly to her. ‘It’s okay, sweetheart. Try to stay as still as you can.’ She kept her voice low and managed a smile.
Dante laid his head on the girl’s chest. ‘I wish I had my stethoscope. As far as I can make out her breathing is okay, but she needs to get to hospital.’
‘Shouldn’t we try and remove the metal from her shoulder?’ Alice asked.
‘No, absolutely not. If we did that we could make matters worse. Much worse.’
‘Really?’ The makeshift bandage was ominously soaked with blood.
‘Really,’ he repeated. ‘Stay with the little one while I check her grandmother. Keep talking to her. Whatever you do, keep the pressure on her wound. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Call me if there is any change.’
Alice could only nod. Her heart was banging so hard against her ribs it was almost painful. She didn’t want to be left in charge of the child. What if her condition changed suddenly? Alice knew she wouldn’t have a clue what to do.
‘Nonna?’ the child whispered.
‘The doctor is looking after your nonna. What’s your name?’
‘Sofia.’
‘Okay, Sofia. Can you understand English?’
‘A little bit. I am learning at school.’
‘Everything’s going to be just fine. Soon the ambulance will be here to take you to hospital. In the meantime, you have to lie as still as you can. Will you do that?’
The child nodded. Alice kept her eyes fixed on the little girl’s and made herself smile reassuringly.
‘I hurt. I want my mamma.’ The child was beginning to panic. Alice knew she had to keep her from moving. She placed a hand on the child’s shoulder and glanced around. Dante was bent over Sofia’s grandmother.
‘Where is your mamma?’ Alice asked.
‘She’s at home. Nonna and I shop for food.’
‘Where do you live?’ Alice wanted to keep the child’s attention from what was happening a few feet away.
‘Back up the road. In the mountains. I help my nonna.’
‘Your mama must be proud of you. And she’ll be even prouder when she hears what a brave girl you’ve been.’
To Alice’s relief, the wail of an approaching ambulance cut through the sound of traffic. At last help was on its way. She looked over her shoulder. Dante was still occupied with the child’s grandmother but, as if sensing her eyes on him, he looked up from whatever he was doing and raised a questioning eyebrow. Alice nodded to let him know that the child was okay.
‘Come with me. In the ambulance?’ the little girl asked. ‘I’m scared.’
Alice squeezed her hand. ‘Of course. And I’ll stay until your mamma and papà come, if you like.’
Sofia dipped her head slightly, then, to Alice’s relief, Dante was by her side again. The ambulance was getting closer but by the sound it had become snarled in traffic.
‘How is she doing?’ Dante asked. ‘Okay, under the circumstances. She’s conscious and speaking.’
Dante pulled out his mobile phone and said something to Sofia in Italian.
Sofia whispered a number and Dante punched the numbers into the phone and moved away still keeping a close eye on the injured child. Alice guessed he was calling Sofia’s parents and she didn’t envy him his task. She could only imagine how the mother would feel when she heard about the accident.
As he was speaking the ambulance drew up and a couple of paramedics jumped out. While one stayed to check over the driver of the car, the other ran towards them. Alice continued to hold the young girl’s hand as the paramedic set about putting up a drip. Dante finished the call and his shoulders slumped. He crossed back to them and updated the paramedic in rapid Italian.
Within minutes, Sofia was being loaded into the ambulance. Alice understood enough to know that another ambulance was on its way to collect the grandmother.
‘I’m going with her,’ Alice told Dante. ‘I promised I would.’
Dante nodded and helped her into the back of the ambulance. ‘Bene. She will be less frightened with a familiar face. I am coming too.’ He lowered his voice. ‘There is still a chance she could collapse. She’s lost a lot of blood.’
At the hospital, Dante went with the other doctors as they rushed Sofia away behind some doors. Left alone, Alice found a chair and sat down. She couldn’t bear to leave, not until she knew for sure that Sofia was going to be okay. When she looked at her watch she was amazed to find that only an hour and a half had passed since the accident. Although desperately worried for the little girl, Alice experienced a gratifying sense of achievement. It had felt good helping and she hadn’t been squeamish at all at the sight of blood—at least, not after her first sight of the wound. She had surprised herself by staying calm and not panicking.
Another hour passed before she looked up to find Dante standing next to her. Immersed in her thoughts she hadn’t heard him approach. He had changed out of his clothes and was wearing blue hospital scrubs. If anything he looked more handsome than when she’d first seen him on the park bench. The thin cotton material emphasised the breadth of his chest and his powerful thighs. In the hospital environment he was even more assured, as if this was where he belonged.
‘Sofia is going to be okay. The surgeons managed to remove the metal from her shoulder. Luckily it hadn’t torn any major blood vessels so she should be able to go home in a day or so.’ He smiled down at her. ‘You did a good job back there, Alice.’ She liked the way he said her name. It made her feel interesting, exotic even.
‘I was terrified at first,’ she admitted. ‘But since Sofia had much more reason to be scared than I had, I couldn’t let her see my fear. I’m so glad she’s going to be okay.
Alice shivered.
Dante picked up a blanket from one of the benches and wrapped it gently around her shoulders. ‘You have had a shock.’ He sat down next to her. ‘I am going to wait until Sofia’s parents get here, but you should go back to your hotel. Do you wish me to call you a taxi?’
‘No, that’s all right,’ Alice said. ‘I just need a moment.’
Now the adrenaline was draining away, Alice felt exhausted. She leant her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Despite everything, she was acutely conscious of Dante. The skin on her upper arms tingled where his fingertips had brushed against her skin and she could almost feel the heat of his body next to her. Although his presence was disconcerting the silence that fell between them was comfortable. She was curious to know more about this man.
It had been a huge relief to discover he was a doctor but it had also been a surprise. Out of all the jobs she’d imagined he’d do, medicine wasn’t one of them. Now if he’d been a model or a professional footballer, somehow that would have seemed more believable.
‘What kind of doctor are you?’ she asked.
‘I am a children’s doctor. How do you say it?’
‘A paediatrician.’
‘Sì, a paediatrician.’ he held out his hands as if in explanation. They were long fingered and smooth. An image of his hands on her bare skin flashed unbidden into Alice’s head and she flushed.
‘I saw you in the square,’ Dante said. ‘You were drawing. Are you an artist?’
Alice felt her face getting redder. Had he noticed she was sketching him? She hoped to hell not.