Chapter 158

Soon an ambulance came screeching and wailing up the drive. Ariston saw his sisters and Maria crowd onto the villa’s portico as he carried Lucette towards the vehicle. A paramedic came out to help her onto a stretcher.

"Ariston ! " Iris cried, and he shook his head.

He promised, "I’ll call you," and then climbed into the ambulance with Lucette .

She looked so vulnerable, lying there on the stretcher, her eyes huge and dark in her pale face, and she scrabbled for his hand, her fingers fragile and icy in his as the paramedic took her vitals and then asked Ariston what had happened.

Ariston gave the details as clearly and evenly as he could; he could feel Lucette clinging to his hand, her breath coming in little pants as she tried to control her panic.

Dear God, he prayed, let nothing happen to the baby.

The next half-hour was a blur as the ambulance took them to the hospital in Amfissa and then to an examination room in the A&E. A doctor, brisk and purposeful, came in with an ultra