Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain Page A

quicklyshook her head, although she wouldn’t have put it past Jinks to have smuggled in his own bottle in his jacket pocket.
    â€œAll right, Penny,” Franklin called down to her. “Hold still. I’ll come around the house and see if I can get you from below.”
    Penny nodded. “My leg…” she said.
    Her leg was twisted into an awkward and unnatural angle against the nearly black branches of the cypress. Probably broken, Carlynn thought.
    Jinks and Charlie accompanied Franklin around the outside of the house until they reached the area where Penny was stranded. The tree on which she’d fallen was low to the ground, and after a few minutes they were able to jostle her free, although not without eliciting cries of pain from her. Gently, they rested her in the small clearing near the house. By that time, nearly all the guests were in the yard observing the scene, and Carlynn rushed toward her friend, dropping to her knees at her side.
    â€œPenny,” she said, taking her friend’s hand, “does anything hurt besides your leg?”
    Penny shook her head. Her blouse was still only partially buttoned, and Carlynn was certain her father had figured out that Penny and Jinks had been petting at the time of the fall. She was relieved to see, though, that Penny’s leg now lay flat and straight against the ground.
    â€œWhere does it hurt?” Carlynn asked, trying to button Penny’s blouse with her free hand. Penny was shivering, and Carlynn motioned to Charlie to take off his jacket.
    â€œAbove my knee,” Penny said. “I think it’s broken. Is the bone sticking out?”
    Carlynn rested Charlie’s jacket over Penny’s chest and arms, then carefully raised her friend’s skirt a few inches above her knee. She was relieved to see there was no bloodor protrusion of bone beneath her stocking. She looked up at her father. “Get the boys to leave,” she said, pointing behind her. “Or at least get them far enough back that they can’t see.”
    â€œWe need to get some ice on her leg.” Jinks looked pale and anxious in the moonlight. “Maybe take her to the hospital.”
    â€œNot right now,” her father said, and Carlynn was grateful that he understood what she’d meant and what she was intending to do. “Come on, fellas, let’s give Carlynn some room.”
    Penny understood, too. On one occasion, she had accompanied Carlynn and Delora to Letterman Hospital and had seen with her own eyes the marvels Carlynn could achieve.
    As the boys moved back to join the others, Carlynn slipped her hands beneath Penny’s skirt, unhooked her stocking from the garter belt and pulled it from her leg, while Penny winced with pain. Resting her hands on the skin above Penny’s knee, Carlynn looked into her eyes.
    â€œIs this where it hurts?” she asked.
    Penny nodded. “Yes, but a little more to the side.”
    Carlynn shifted her hands slightly, and Penny nodded. “That’s it,” she said. “I think I heard it crack when I fell, Carly. Ugh.”
    â€œDoes it hurt a great deal?” Carlynn could already feel the area beneath her hands growing warm from her touch, and she knew that was a good sign.
    â€œIt’s horrid,” Penny said.
    â€œAnd just what were you and Jinks doing on the terrace?” Carlynn asked with a grin.
    â€œYou mean—” Penny managed a smile “—this is God punishing me?”
    â€œYou never know,” Carlynn said. “You are the rowdiest of my friends—do you know that, Pen?”
    â€œBut you love me anyway.”
    â€œYes, I do. Very much.” She looked earnestly into Penny’s eyes. “Even though you’ve probably gotten me into big trouble with my father.”
    â€œSorry.” Penny giggled, the lightness of the sound encouraging to Carlynn’s ears.
    She continued talking with her friend, keeping her