Page 13 of The Summer That Changed Us

‘Hello?’ called a tentative voice.

‘Praise be!’ she cried. ‘I’m over here, I’ve slipped behind the hot tub.’

A gurgle of laughter escaped from her involuntarily; Zoe would have a field day with this one. Was there a more middle-class accident than tripping up on the way to your own private hot tub? Slipping on an avocado skin, maybe, or crying over spilled almond milk …

It had seemed like a good idea to wander out onto the terrace, dressed only in a towel and flip-flops, to drink her coffee. That would teach her to pinch hotel flip-flops. The bit that anchored the toe-post to the base had always been dodgy. Just a quick look to check out the hot tub, she’d thought. But her left foot had skated forwards on the slippy patio and got lodged under the wooden steps to the hot tub. She’d flung her arms out trying to right herself and avoid pouring hot coffee down her cleavage. But all she’d succeeded in doing was to twist her ankle and smash the mug against a very expensive-looking terracotta pot. Now she couldn’t move either leg and was leaning forward over her thigh supporting her weight on her hands.

‘Good grief,’ exclaimed a polite voice. ‘How did you manage that?’

Grace tried to twist around to see who her rescuer was but couldn’t manage it. ‘Long story. One which I’d be happy to tell you when my two feet have been reunited.’

‘Sure, sorry.’ The owner of the voice appeared in front of her wearing a thick down coat. What Grace would give to be zipped into that right now. The woman was young and pretty, luminous skin, glossy brown hair piled on top of her head, olive-green eyes and the sort of cheekbones which wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of Vogue magazine. ‘I’m Katie.’

‘And I’m Robyn,’ said another woman, joining Katie.

Two females, thank goodness. This one looked a wee bit older, petite and pixie-like with fine features and enormous brown eyes.

‘I’m not sure what I can do without causing you any more pain,’ said Robyn, kneeling beside her. She had a professional-looking camera hanging around her neck. The lens cap was on, Grace was relieved to notice; she didn’t need a photographic reminder of this particular moment; it was already destined to be engraved on her memory for eternity. Katie grabbed the back of Grace’s towel and tucked it around her. ‘There, at least you’re decent again.’

‘Can you try and take my flip-flops off?’ Grace said. Her teeth were starting to chatter.

‘Sure.’

While Katie wiggled Grace’s feet free, Robyn took off her denim jacket and hung it over her shoulders. Grace smiled with thanks, secretly wishing she’d been given Katie’s coat; she hadn’t been Robyn’s size since she hit puberty and the scrap of denim barely reached across her back.

‘OK, they’re off.’ Katie held up the shredded flip-flops. ‘Although I don’t think you’ll be wearing them again.’

‘Too bloody right, I won’t. They should come with a health warning: may split your difference and cause public humiliation,’ said Grace. ‘OK, time to get myself out of this knot.’

Leaning forward on trembling arms, she dragged her front leg towards her and brought her back knee in until she was on all fours. Every inch of her was in agony but at least the worst was over. She hung her head down and groaned with relief. ‘Hallelujah.’

‘Do you need a hand standing up?’ said Robyn.

Grace nodded, biting her lip. Her ankle was throbbing really badly. Please God let it not be properly injured. Not now she’d moved to the arse end of nowhere, a good two miles from civilisation. On her own.

‘What’s your name, by the way?’

‘Grace. Ironically. Grace by name and, as you have seen for your very own eyes, Grace by nature. Oh bollocks,’ she groaned. ‘This is going to be around the village before you can say lily-white ass.’

‘Our lips are sealed,’ said Robyn. ‘We promise.’

‘Lily-white ass with a tattoo,’ Katie said with a cheeky grin.

‘Ah yes.’ Grace pulled a face; she saw her own bottom so rarely that sometimes she forgot it was there. ‘That’s a lesson that gambling is a bad thing.’

‘You won that in a bet?’ Robyn said, wide-eyed, hooking her hand under Grace’s armpit.

Grace’s eyes sparkled at the memory, despite the pain. ‘I bet my husband that we’d never sell a house for a million pounds and that if we did, I’d get a house tattooed on my bum cheek.’

‘Are you an estate agent?’ Katie took her other arm.

Ah, the sweet relief of having some of her body weight supported by someone else. Grace shook her head, putting down first one foot and then the other. Her left foot, which had been trapped under the steps, hurt so much she thought she might pass out. ‘Architect. We had a building company.’

Predictably Robyn’s jacket slipped off her shoulders and the towel took a trip south too. Grace was beyond caring; getting two feet firmly back on the ground was all she was bothered about.

Robyn whipped the towel off the patio floor and handed it back to her.

‘Thank you.’ Grace’s voice was shaking, her legs were trembling with pain and putting the towel back on meant letting go of Katie; she wasn’t entirely convinced she wasn’t going to collapse again.