Dr. Zinetti's Snowkissed Bride by Sarah Morgan

to swim like they tell you to, tried to get my arms up…’ He opened his eyes. ‘Are my friends safe? They were behind me.’
    â€˜They called us before they lost the phone battery. They saw the whole thing but they weren’t caught in it. The rest of the mountain rescue team is looking for them now. They were fine when they called.’ Meg tried to reassure him while helping Dino carry out the best examination he could in difficult circumstances.
    â€˜Does this hurt? Can you feel this?’ He was treating the man for head, leg and possible spinal injuries, and Meg usedher hands to dig away more of the snow so that Dino had room to see what he was doing.
    â€˜Do you want me to contact the search-and-rescue helicopter?’
    â€˜Helicopter?’ The man groaned. ‘I don’t think I can get into a helicopter.’
    â€˜Trust me, it’s the best way. We’re going to put you in a vacuum mattress, Dave, to protect your spine,’ Dino explained. ‘You don’t have to do a thing. You’ll be winched into the helicopter and they’ll get you to hospital.’ He nodded to Meg and she quickly made the call while Dino started to prepare the casualty for the transfer.
    Dave closed his eyes. ‘Can’t believe I’ve been caught in an avalanche in the Lake District. I’ve walked in the Alps, you know. Can you believe that? This is going to be so embarrassing down at the pub.’
    Meg saw Dino’s mouth tighten and she knew he was annoyed by that flippant comment.
    â€˜You could have died,’ she said mildly as she slipped the phone back into her pocket, ‘and so could your friends. The outcome could have been a lot worse than embarrassment.’
    â€˜If you’ve done ski touring in the Alps then you must have carried transceivers? Shovels? Probes?’ Dino yanked his equipment out of his backpack and the man looked sheepish.
    â€˜In the Alps, yes. I guess we were complacent here.’
    â€˜Avalanches eat up complacent skiers and climbers. Don’t move, Dave. The winchman is going to lower the vacuum mattress and a stretcher and we’re going to get you to hospital.’ Dino walked across the snow to find a safe place for the helicopter to land while Meg and Rambo stayed next to the injured skier.
    Dave put out a hand to the dog. ‘I have you to thank forbeing found. I recognise that guy. It’s Dino Zinetti, isn’t it? He used to be a member of the Italian ski team.’
    â€˜How do you know that?’
    â€˜I’m a keen skier. He was a maniac. His downhill times…’ Dave laughed. ‘Well, let’s just say he isn’t really in a position to lecture me for being reckless.’
    â€˜He wasn’t lecturing. It isn’t our job to lecture.’ As the helicopter drew closer, Meg pulled together the rest of her gear, ready to move out. ‘But it is our job to point out where additional equipment might have helped so that people don’t put themselves in the same position again.’ The downdraft from the helicopter flung powdery snow through the air like a blizzard and Meg shifted her position and tried to protect the man from the sudden buffeting of icy wind.
    It was only a matter of minutes before Dino came back with the stretcher and the vacuum mattress and together they moved Dave, careful to protect his spine.
    â€˜This will hold you secure,’ she explained, as they pumped up the mattress and strapped it to the stretcher. ‘I expect I’ll see you at the hospital. Good luck.’
    â€˜Thanks.’ The man closed his eyes, choosing not to look as he was winched into the hovering helicopter.
    As the aircraft became a dot in the distance, Dino turned to her. ‘The team have found the rest of his party on the other side of the ridge, so they’re going to walk them back down the other track. We’ll go back together. Although frankly this isn’t a