What Goes on Tour(38)

Her eyes were filled with panic. He knew she couldn't hear him. Adrian  heard George calling for someone to get a sedative. Adrian didn't want  that, but he had to make sure Kate was all right.

"Kate, talk to me about Lilly Lionheart. If she was scared, what would she do?"

His words didn't penetrate. She pushed against him with her good hand and kicked at him.

"Get out of my way."

"Adrian, hold her down for a minute." George was next to him with a nurse holding a syringe.

God, they were going to sedate her. He took hold of her forearms and  held her while Kate screamed and the nurse injected the sedative. A  minute later Kate was calm, staring at him with accusatory eyes.

His heart crumbled and he forced himself to look away.

He had failed Kate. Failed to protect her and betrayed her trust.

"Bring her through here," the nurse said.

Adrian followed the orderly and George through to the wards.

"We need to X-ray the wrist. We're not too busy this morning, so it  shouldn't take long. Someone will be along shortly to take her details."

The nurse placed an icepack on Kate's wrist, gave Adrian a reassuring smile and left.

He couldn't bear to look at Kate sitting lifelessly in the chair. Instead he looked at George.

"She's going to be fine," George said.

Adrian knew that rationally, but that wasn't the point. The point was  he'd put Kate's life in danger. It was his fault she'd been injured. If  he'd listened to his instincts, or reacted faster, the reporters  wouldn't have got near her.

He'd promised Susan Kate would be protected from the media and he hadn't been able to keep his promise.

Maybe he should send Kate back home after she came out of hospital.  Maybe Susan was right  –  life on the road was no good for her. Maybe he  was just a complete failure as a guardian.

Kate's eyes had been so accusing.

"It's not your fault." George had an uncanny way of knowing what he was thinking.

"It is. I put her in harm's way."

"No, Emily did that by revealing your identity."

That made Adrian stop. He had forgotten about the article George had mentioned. "Show me."

George took out his cell, found the article and handed it to Adrian.  Adrian scrolled through it, making note of the pictures and what was  written.

He handed the phone back to George as the nurse arrived to take down  Kate's details and then they wheeled her into the X-ray room.

"You can stay here," the nurse said in the hall outside the room.

"No. I'm staying with Kate." Adrian was going to keep this promise.  "Give me one of those lead-lined vests. I'm not leaving her."

The nurse sighed and handed over a vest before getting Kate set up.  Adrian held Kate's good hand while the X-rays were being taken and then  wheeled her out of the room.

"We'll have the results in a minute and a doctor will come and see her,"  the nurse said, and showed him the way back to where George was  waiting.

George was scowling at his cell.

Adrian almost didn't want to ask. "What now?"

George hesitated and Adrian tensed. George never hesitated.

"I've been thinking about the Emily thing."

"Go on."

George checked Kate, who was still sitting sedately in the chair. "We only have Libby's word that it was Emily on the docks."                       
       
           



       

Adrian drew in a breath, but George continued.

"Libby said a woman came to the room, she said a woman was taking  photos, and then when you showed her the photo, she said it was Emily.  We have to consider that maybe it was Libby who tipped the press.  Whoever it was would have been paid a lot for the story."

Adrian had forgotten that Libby had been broke. But she couldn't have  possibly done this. Adrian refused to believe it. "She couldn't have  taken the photo. She was in the photo."

"She could have got someone else to."

The pain in Adrian's chest was surprising. It was sharp and ripped through him.

"Where is she now?" he asked George.

"I told her to wait in the hotel." George's phone rang. "Speak of the devil."

Adrian could hear Libby's voice on the other end of the phone, asking how Kate was.

George raised an eyebrow at Adrian. Adrian nodded his permission to tell her.

"We're waiting for X-ray results. She may have broken her wrist," he  said. Adrian heard Libby's voice again, but couldn't hear what she was  saying. "Adrian's fine," George said. "I'll call you in a couple of  hours when we get out of here." He hung up.

"How did she sound?" Adrian asked.

"Concerned." George sighed. "I like her too, but I have to think of every option."

"I'll talk to her when we get back."

George seemed surprised.

He had to talk to her. It would eat him up inside if he kept thinking  Libby could have betrayed him like this. He was sure she was innocent,  but he needed to be certain.

A doctor approached them. "Good news. It's only a sprain. I'll wrap it  up and give you some painkillers. Then it's just following the RICE  principle  –  rest, ice, compression and elevation."

"She doesn't need a cast?"

"No. She'll be out of here in an hour." The doctor glanced at Adrian. "The sedative will be close to wearing off then."

"Thank you." Adrian was sure trips to the emergency department weren't usually this quick.

"Can I ask where her fear comes from?" the doctor asked as he wrapped the bandage around Kate's wrist.

"Car accident a year ago." Adrian wasn't going to say any more.

"I suggest you see she gets some therapy for it. Next time it could be a matter of life or death," the doctor said.

"I will." The thought of having to go through that again was not something he wanted to contemplate.

After finishing the bandaging, the doctor handed Adrian a pamphlet on sprain care and some tablets.

"She'll be groggy for the rest of the day from the sedative, so just  keep her quiet. If you have any concerns, phone this helpline, which  will put you in touch with a nurse." He gave Adrian a card.

"Thank you."

"I'll sort out the bill." George walked out.

Kate groaned. Adrian watched her eyes flutter. He needed to get her out of here. "Is there anything else?" he asked the doctor.

"No, you're fine to go."

Adrian took hold of the wheelchair and pushed Kate toward the entrance.  The car was still parked where they had left it and Adrian lifted Kate  in, doing up her seatbelt.

"Uncle Ade?" Kate's voice was quiet and sleepy.

"Just rest, Katie. I'm taking you back to the hotel."

"All right."

George came out and hopped into the driver's side.

By the time they arrived back at the hotel, Kate was asleep.

***

Libby couldn't concentrate on her writing. After she had found all the  articles about her and Adrian and phoned George to see how Kate was,  she'd tried to get back to her editing, but she found herself staring  off into space.

She'd already had Donna on the phone asking her about the article and  Libby had forwarded all the emails from media outlets to her. Donna said  she'd review them and then advise Libby how to respond.

At the moment the publicity was the least of her concerns. She wanted to  be with Kate, to see for herself the girl was all right, and she wanted  to hold Adrian's hand and help him through this, because he would be  frantic.

The phone rang. Libby lunged for it.

"We're back. Do you want to come over?" It was Adrian's voice, sounding exhausted.

"I'll be right there."

She hung up and dashed down the hallway to the room. Adrian answered the  door, his face a picture of sadness. Libby ran her hand down his arm  and smiled at him. He said nothing, but gave a sad smile back before  leading Libby into the living room. Kate was lying on the couch with a  quilt over her.                       
       
           



       

"How are you, Kate?"

Kate didn't respond.

Concerned, Libby glanced at Adrian.

"She had a panic attack at the hospital. They had to sedate her. She's still recovering."

Libby hugged him. "I'm so sorry." No wonder he looked so tired. "Will it wear off soon?"

"Yes." He stepped back.

"Did she break her wrist?"

"No, just a sprain. I'll take you through the details later." He  gestured for her to have a seat at the dining table, where George was  sitting waiting. "We need to talk."

"Of course." They had to figure out what to do about the media attention. "I sent George all of the links I could find."

"What I want to know is how Emily knew where we would be," George said.

Libby was pleased he'd come to the same conclusion as she had. "She must have followed us."

"Followed, or been tipped off?" George watched her.