He had tried to find it using the light of an oil lamp the night before and had appeared very relieved when nothing showed up.
‘Really?’
She showed him the place on her ankle.
‘I don’t think it’s a snake bite. But the area around the bite has reddened and it’s a little bit swollen too.’
‘What do you think?’
He shook his head. ‘Not sure. Any other symptoms?’
‘My chest is painful.’
‘It hurts to breathe?’
‘A little.’
Jay held open the door flap and called the servant over, then spoke in a hushed tone and far too rapidly for Eliza to get the drift.
‘What did you tell him?’ she asked when he came back to her.
‘I’ve sent for Indi’s grandmother. It may take an hour or two but there’s nobody better. He’s taken my motorbike. Quicker than his camel.’
‘Do you think it’s serious?’ Eliza tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it.
He held her hands in his, rubbing and warming them, but he didn’t say anything.
‘I thought Indi’sdaadee mawas ill.’
‘We have to hope she’s well enough to come.’
‘How will we get her back home? How will we get home?’
‘I don’t want to move you, and certainly not on the back of a camel or a bike. I don’t want you to worry about anything and I don’t want you to overheat, but it’s still very early so it’s quite cool. You will need to drink. Could you manage some water?’
She tried to lift her head but fell back against the pillow. ‘Everything hurts.’
He put an arm around her shoulders. ‘Lean against me and just sip.’
With his other hand he held the cup of water to her lips.
‘I feel dizzy,’ she said, and slipped back down on to the bed but then didn’t feel as if she could keep still.
‘Lie still,’ he said, and held her arms.
She was aware that he stayed with her all the time, except when he went out to check if there was any sight of Indi’s grandmother. And even though she felt so ill, she could only wonder that they were together like this. How strange it felt. Yet how right.
‘You didn’t say if you thought it was serious?’
He smiled. ‘I’m not a doctor, but I am sure it’s not. So relax and rest.’
She attempted to sit up. ‘I feel as if the room is going round.’
‘All that gin you drank last night.’
‘I didn’t –’ And then the room spun. She was aware of travelling down a dark tunnel at enormous speed and then him holding her as she fell forward. Then nothing.
When she came to, Jay was lying next to her on the bed. First she was only conscious of his palm gently stroking her hair, and then she became aware of his slow steady breathing. In that delicious moment she had forgotten about being ill, but then she sat up and was sick all over the bedcover. He jumped up, pulled the cover off, rolled it up and threw it outside the tent. Then from under the bed he pulled out an animal skin of some kind.
