‘Ta muchly,’ Jo said whacking the ball hard at Lucas, who lobbed it back with ease.
As Sylvain and Nicole stepped into the light cast by the net, her full lips curved into a smile. She wore a creamy cashmere scarf around her neck and an expensive-looking white wool coat. Sylvain’s hand rested lightly on her back, and Allie was staring at them open-mouthed when the ball hit her on the side of the head hard enough to knock her down.
Everyone rushed to her at once.
Lucas vaulted the net. ‘Allie, are you OK? I’m so sorry. I thought you were ready.’
Rachel held Allie’s head in her lap as Zoe knelt beside them asking, ‘What day is it? Who’s the prime minister?’
‘Sorry,’ Allie said. ‘I think I was more surprised than hurt. But then again, it could be brain damage.’
She could hear a collective relieved sigh from the group. Rachel smiled at her and squeezed her fingers.
‘Don’t fall asleep,’ Zoe said urgently.
Everyone turned to her.
‘I read an article,’ she explained. ‘If it’s a concussion you have to stay awake.’
‘I’m awake,’ Allie joked feebly, as Rachel and Lucas helped her to her feet. ‘But if I fall asleep playing tennis please call an ambulance.’
‘Yay!’ Zoe said, racing to the other side of the net. ‘Allie’s alive and we can play!’
Rachel studied her face with worried eyes. ‘You really OK?’ she asked.
Although she was still a little dizzy, Allie nodded. ‘I’m good. In a blindsided, cracked-skull kind of a way.’
‘That’s less good than usual,’ Rachel said.
‘True,’ Allie agreed. ‘So … I think I’ll sit out the first game.’
‘Somebody has to sit with Allie and make sure she stays awake and knows who’s prime minister,’ Zoe called from across the grass court.
‘What is your obsession with the prime minister?’ Lucas asked.
‘It’s a question people get asked when they hit their heads,’ Zoe said. ‘In films. I mean they’re usually American films and they ask who the president is. I guess brain damage knocks all the politics out. But this is England so there’s not a president. And you can’t exactly ask them who the Queen is, can you? She’s just … the Queen.’
‘I know who the prime minister is,’ Allie said sitting down on the frozen grass. ‘So you can all relax.’
‘Is it still that same man?’ Nicole’s voice came out of the dark right beside her and Allie jumped. ‘The one with the funny face?’
‘Yeah,’ Allie replied. ‘It’s still that one.’
‘I like him,’ Nicole said. ‘He seems very good with children. And that is a proven sign of kindness.’ As she spoke, Allie glanced over at her furtively – her expressive brown eyes were surrounded by thick lashes; her bone structure was as fine as a fawn’s. ‘I’m sitting out this game, too.’ Nicole’s French accent was more delicate than Sylvain’s; it seemed to curl around each word lightly before letting go. ‘I will help keep you awake. Sylvain will sit with us when he reappears. I don’t know where he’s gone.’
But at that moment, he walked up with a bottle of water, which he handed to Allie before sitting on the cold grass beside Nicole.
‘How do you feel?’ He studied her with concern.
Her head was starting to throb, but she knew if she said that they’d make her go and see the nurse. ‘OK, I think. A bit fuzzy maybe. But I think that’s an I-just-got-hit-on-the-head thing,’ Allie said.
Rachel had been talking to Jo and Lucas on the court but now she joined them. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Seriously, everyone.’ Allie held up her hands. ‘I’m totally fine. Except that I’m asleep and I’ve forgotten the date and the prime minister.’
‘That’s it. I’m calling an ambulance,’ Rachel said mildly, as the first ball of the game flew across the net, glowing like a meteor.
It was entrancing to watch the disembodied, lighted racquets move in the darkness – hitting the star-like ball back and forth across the glittering spider-web net. Occasionally the ball would spin out of reach and the unseen players would laugh or groan. But beautiful as it was, it was freezing, too. And the cold seemed to penetrate to Allie’s bones.
Shivering, she pulled her thin denim jacket tightly around her. ‘It’s so cold.’
‘You should be wearing gloves.’ Rachel looked critically at Allie’s clothes. ‘And a scarf. And … a coat.’
‘Here.’ Sylvain unknotted the scarf from his neck and reached across Nicole to hand it to Allie. ‘Wear this. I am fine without it.’
As Nicole looked up at him with an approving smile, Allie realised they must be together. Like … together together. They were so close to each other. And now that she thought about it, they sat together at dinner almost every day, didn’t they?
The pounding in her head was worsening – it made it hard to think. She considered saying that she wasn’t really cold. Or she didn’t really need it. But she was shivering, so she accepted the scarf and wrapped it around her neck and shoulders.
A wave of his distinctive scent – coffee and spice – enveloped her and she had an instant flash memory of kissing him and breathing in that smell.
She felt dizzy.