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wake, her features white as Tina's words sank home.
Cesare might be killed before she had had the chance to
172 HAWK IN A BLUE SKY
tell him ... to show him ... She winced. The nightmare
was coming true.
People were anxiously hurrying down the city streets,
having seen Cesare shoot by on Viva's back. They called
to her in high Italian. 'He was going so fast ...'
`The horse bolted with him?' they called as she rode
past. Amanda nodded, wasting no words. She could not
have spoken. Her throat appeared to be as dry as ashes.
When she rode through the gate she saw Cesare dis-
appearing into the vineyards at a tremendous pace. She
galloped after him, her heart pounding. What had Tina
done to make Viva behave like that?
It was totally alien to the stallion's nature to be so
vicious. He had always been high-spirited, it was true,
but he had never turned on hsl master. There was genu-
ine rapport between horse and master. Amanda had
always found it moving to see the great, powerful animal
nibble at Cesare's ear adoringly. Moving and madden-
ing. She had resented the fact that Cesare could so easily
charm the stallion, the people of the city and apparently
every woman he met. It was not fair that a man should
have that sort of charm, especially when he had so many
other attributes.
She found herself ducking and weaving through the
vines. Men came running towards her, shouting and
pointing, their faces grave. She sensed what they said,
although the words were muffled at this distance, and
her heart seemed to stop.
Cesare had been thrown !
Please, God, she prayed desperately, don't let him be
HAWK IN A BLUE SKY 1
73
killed. Please, please, not Cesare ...
She saw Viva, running with sweat, his coat matted, his
eyes rolling in his head, standing by a fence, hsl sides
heaving visibly. A few feet away, arms flung wide, lay
Cesare. Ominously still, she realised, as she rode up and
flung herself down from Vesta's back. Already several
men were kneeling beside him, but they drew back
respectfully as she ran towards them.
`Is he conscious?' she asked breathlessly.
`No, signorina . .' they told her. 'Giacomo has gone to
the vineyard office to telephone for the doctor,' they in-
formed her politely.
Amanda knelt beside Cesare and looked at his face. He
had his eyes shut. There was a cut on his forehead and
dark blood trickled from it. His skin looked very pale
beside his black hair. She lifted one of his hands, felt
carefully for the pulse at his wrist. It seemed very faint.
Her own heart missed a beat. How badly was he hurt?
She felt helpless, useless, not knowing what to do. One
of the men asked her gently, 'Shall we carry him to the
office ?'
`No,' she said. 'He must not be moved. It's dangerous
to move someone until you know for certain how serious
their injuries are! The doctor ,will come and tell us.'
As if he heard her voice there was the sound of a car
racing along the road through the vineyards, and a few
moments later the young doctor puffed up to them, his
face anxious. He nodded to her. 'He had a fall from his
horse, I understand?'
`Yes. He's unconscious,' she said miserably. 'We didn't
HAWK IN A BLUE SKY
174
move him in case of injury ...'
The doctor gave her an approving smile. 'Good. Very
wise.'
He knelt down and deftly began to examine Cesare,
his thin fingers oddly delicate as they moved over the
long body. Amanda watched with her heart in her
mouth. This is a punishment for my folly, she thought.
If he dies ... I've wasted my chance of happiness.
`He has a broken rib,' the doctor announced after a
time. 'Really, he sl as usual unbelievably fortunate! How
many times I've known him take incredible risks and
come up smiling! One day his luck will run out, though,
so he should start to be more careful.'
Tut his head,' Amanda whispered, pointing to the cu t
`And he's unconscious !'
`Yes, he may have concussion,' the doctor agreed. Tut
that is something we will only find out when he wakes
1
up. He must go to hospital, of course. He will have to be
X-rayed. He may have internal injuries I cannot find.'
His thoughtful glance rested on Cesare's head.
She shivered. 'Can I go with him?'
The doctor glanced at her. 'Why not? There will be
nothing for you to do, though. You realise that? You
will have to sit in the waiting-room and wait, perhaps
for hours. Wouldn't you rather go back and comfort the
Contessa?'
`Others may do that,' she said fiercely. 'She has Piero
and Aunt Teresa ... Cesare needs me.'
The doctor shrugged. 'As you like.'
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