The music of the fair faded away as Lissa made her way along the still-light road, stopping to watch a baby rabbit make a desperate plunge across it in front of her. She smiled, then pulled out her phone, then put it away again. He was on a date. With Yazzie. She shouldn’t be even thinking about him. It was just that she didn’t know him, that was all. And she was in a strange place and dealing with a lot of crap in her life, and of course she’d glommed on to the nearest person who seemed okay and not a terrible loser. She knew nothing about him, not really, didn’t have a clue even what he looked like. It was a fantasy in her head, that was all, and starting talking to him at ten P.M. on a Saturday night was . . . well, it was ridiculous. A conversation that had started about someone else’s snake.

She had pulled out her phone again and was looking at the screen when, to her amazement, a text popped up.

Hey?

She replied with fumbling fingers. Hey.

Cormac had been staring out over the lights of London. He was amazed how electrified he was to hear from her. He’d texted Lennox too—they’d picked up Robbie, who had apparently gone to work with a will. Fingers crossed it would last. The news had made him feel happy and anxious all at once, and he wanted to talk to someone about it.

Someone specific, he realized.

You still out?

Nearly home. You?

Cormac felt a huge gush of relief. This was ridiculous. He didn’t even know this girl. But somehow, he’d found, she was the one he wanted to talk to.

I’m back too. It’s hot out there.

But what about the delicious meat buns?

It turns out I’m quite quick at eating meat buns.

Lissa felt her heart beating faster as she reached the little cottage. She went into the back garden to try to take a picture of Neddie Needles, but he hadn’t appeared.

So what’s on your mind? she found herself typing.

A bit of her, the tiniest bit, thought she should call him. But somehow, in the absolute stillness and quiet of the night, it seemed strange, such a boundary crosser. She was too nervous. This was safe, and she needed to feel safe.

You know when you were at that accident?

Yeah.

How did you feel?

You sound like my therapist! SHIT I need to skype my therapist!

Had you forgotten?

Yes!

I wonder if that’s a sign.

Of me being a coward, probably.

Of you getting better, maybe.

Lissa looked around the garden, the evening scents of the cooling grass hanging heavy in the still air. It was lovely, even if it was getting horribly overgrown. The stream tinkled prettily.

This place is quite special.

It is. So is London.