‘Home? Already?’ Madi pushed a finger through the bars and ran them over the little cat’s back, carefully avoiding her head. Amazingly, Flo began to purr.

‘Later today, I should think. As long as you keep her indoors for a few days. We can provide a litter tray if Prue doesn’t have one. If that’s okay?’

‘It does worry me, to be honest. I don’t know anything about looking after a cat, not a sick cat anyway. It was fine when she was taking care of herself, coming in and out through her flap, with me just putting down some food and water twice a day, but this is different, trying to keep her in, getting medicine down her. It’s quite a responsibility, when she belongs to someone else.’

‘Would you like me to call Prue?’

‘Oh, no, don’t do that. I’ll manage somehow.’

‘Ah, Madi, good morning.’ Ralph Barton had come in behind them. ‘I see our patient has perked up since yesterday. Thanks to you spotting something was wrong, we got to it quickly, and she’s going to be absolutely fine. I couldn’t help overhearing you just now, but really there’s no need to trouble Prue. If you feel uneasy, we can always keep Flo here for a while longer, or Prue’s mum would take her in, I’m sure.’

‘No, I’ll do it. Poor little thing needs to be in her own home, where she feels safe. Show me what to do, and I’ll give it my best shot.’

‘I’m sure you will. Pop back later, say around two, and we’ll sort out everything you need. And, there’s no charge, obviously, because Flo’s …’

‘Family!’ they all said together.

Chapter 15

I’m getting tired of this now. Sitting here, day after day, wondering. Where is the damned woman? The interloper doesn’t really interest me. Not in the same way. I hear her skipping about, in that carefree way young people do. Thundering down the stairs as if everything is so urgent, so important, as if everything has to be rushed.

I prefer to take my time, do things slowly. Carefully. Give everything more thought. I like to bide my time. Do things properly, do things thoroughly.

Revenge. Best served cold, so they say.

I can wait. I’ve waited this long to bring her down, so what’s a bit longer? Not too much longer though. My patience isn’t everlasting. It may stretch, but only so far, and one day it’s going to snap.

Chapter 16

PRUE

Prue could hardly believe she had been in London for ten days already. Ten days of near solitude as she passed the occasional fellow resident in the hall, exchanging curious nods, wandered the streets by herself, and spent her evenings with only the TV or a book for company. Thank God for Aaron, or she just might start to believe she was never going to have a proper conversation with anyone again.

She had decided to leave her camera behind for once and hit the shops. The real shops, rather than the little local parade she had been using for supplies. Shops that didn’t close their doors at lunchtime every Wednesday for ‘half day closing’ as they always had, and still did, in the village back home.