Tyler was already gently unfastening the harness, easing it off. She winced although he was barely touching her. ‘Right, we’re agreed we’re going to stick to the same story. We took a walk after dinner and Hailey stumbled and fell awkwardly. I’m going to dump this.’ He held the harness in his hands and ran.

And then there were two.

‘Hailey…’ Connor swallowed hard. Saw she was slipping away again and knew he had to speak quickly. Three words. How long could it take to say? How much it would mean. ‘I lov—’ But there was a shout. A flash of torchlight. The sound of footsteps on damp grass.

Connor shifted to make room for Mr Marshall as his knees seemed to break and he almost fell to the ground.

‘Hailey!’ His usually calm voice was frantic. ‘Hailey!’

She opened her eyes. ‘Daddy… we went for a walk and I tripped over a pothole. My leg…’

He felt Ryan watching him, gathering the gist of what was going on. Fergus standing beside him, a worried expression on his face.

Hailey had vomited again by the time the ambulance arrived. Flashing blue lights intermittently illuminating the hills. Connor told the paramedic he thought she was sick from the pain; she hadn’t hit her head. She was swiftly, efficiently placed in the back of the ambulance and Connor was left alone, the blackness swallowing him whole as the blue flash of light faded away.

Back at the dorm he made a phone call. ‘Mum?’

‘What’s happened?’ She detected the distress in his voice.

‘It’s Hailey, she’s… she’s hurt. Mum, it’s all my fault, we—’

‘Is she breathing? Have you called for help?’

‘Yeah, she’s gone off in an ambulance. It’s her leg. I’m pretty sure it’s broken.’

‘She’ll probably be brought here. We’re the nearest orthopaedic department to the residential centre. I’m just clocking off. Do you want me to come and fetch you?’

‘No. Can you stay there and look after her?’

‘Of course. Connor, why don’t you get a cab here? I’ll leave you some cash on A and E reception.’