The Waffle House on the Pier - Tilly Tennant Page 0,29

think we ought to call the ambulance after all?”’

‘Just until you’d checked if I was really injured.’

‘You are really injured!’

‘A lot.’

‘You don’t call being unconscious when you’re hauled out of the sea injured? Sadie, we had to do CPR on you. If you don’t think that’s serious enough to call for an ambulance then please, whatever you do, never volunteer your services to Andy because you won’t save many people like that.’

Sadie let out a sigh. She had to concede that Ewan might have a point, though she just couldn’t see why he was so angry and upset. Perhaps it was a case of delayed shock, but she felt curiously unconcerned by what he’d told her. Maybe it would sink in later but, right now, she just felt her brother was overreacting. Then again, she had to admit that her head hurt a lot. If nothing else, she supposed she ought to get some advice about concussion. And who knew, maybe one of the ambulance crew would be an attractive man she could flirt with?

But then even those hopes were dashed when she looked at where the vehicle had parked on the promenade and saw two women getting out. Not having noticed Sadie sitting on the sand some feet away, they walked towards Andy and the man who’d caused all this fuss. After a brief exchange, Sadie saw Andy point in her direction and the paramedics strode over, Ewan stepping forward to greet them tersely.

‘So, who do we need to look at?’ one of the women said, giving Sadie a quick glance. She’d have thought it was self-evident, but apparently they had to ask. She stuck a sheepish hand up.

‘I’m the idiot.’

‘My sister had an argument with a rowing boat out on the sea,’ Ewan said. ‘The boat won.’

‘It’s only a little bump to the head,’ Sadie said. ‘I’m sure it’s nothing,’ she added, even as she felt gingerly for the bump on her head and realised that she’d probably eaten smaller boiled eggs.

* * *

After a few checks the paramedics gave Sadie a leaflet on what to look for post-head injury and when to go to hospital or call another ambulance and left. By the time they’d packed and gone, quite a little crowd had gathered. They stared at Sadie and she just wished they’d stop because it was starting to freak her out more than the actual accident had. Most were people she didn’t recognise, because the beach would have been heaving with tourists and day trippers, and she hadn’t really thought about that until they’d closed in on her. Andy the lifeguard had gone back to his station, and the man who’d been piloting the boat was pacing up and down the sand a few yards away, talking on his phone. But when he saw that the ambulance crew was done with Sadie, he quickly ended the call and jogged over.

‘God, I can’t tell you how sorry I am for all this,’ he said earnestly. He bent down to Sadie. ‘Are you alright?’

‘Apparently I’ll survive,’ she said.

‘No thanks to you,’ Ewan cut in. Kat laid a warning hand on his arm but he shook it off.

‘I know that,’ the man said. ‘I can only apologise. I didn’t see you, I swear, I couldn’t… didn’t know how to stop the boat and I couldn’t make it turn in time… I feel just terrible.’

‘Not as terrible as my sister feels right now.’ Ewan seemed to grow taller and broader and more menacing right in front of Sadie’s eyes as he faced the stranger. ‘You nearly killed her! Do you understand?’

‘It’s fine,’ Sadie insisted. ‘Kat was there and I was always going to be in good hands. I don’t want a fuss – there’s no real harm done.’

‘There’s plenty of harm done,’ Ewan said. ‘People like this’ – he shoved a finger at the man – ‘need to understand that stupid actions have consequences.’

‘Please, Ewan,’ Kat said gently. ‘Sadie has said she doesn’t want a fuss and this is hardly helping her.’

The man looked between Ewan and Sadie. ‘What can I do to make it up to you?’

‘Stay away from boats for a start,’ Ewan cut in.

‘Ignore him,’ Sadie said. ‘Accidents happen. I should have had my wits about me too. You couldn’t have known I’d pop up there when I did.’

‘I have to say, you’re taking it better than I would,’ the man said with a wan smile.

Sadie tried to offer him one in return but her head hurt