‘Not a lot. It’s been fine, really. She’s just been sitting there – we had the TV on. No dramatics. She’s quiet. She seems stunned.’

‘I suppose she’s not tired?’

‘All right for some, eh?’

There was silence, then Anna said, ‘Poor Krish.’

Jake sighed. ‘Yeah.’

Anna pushed back the sheet. ‘Here – it’s nice and warm for you!’

‘Sounds wonderful. It’s a great shame my getting in means you have to get out.’

He stood up and reached out his arms and they held each other. ‘I didn’t want to wake you,’ he said. ‘You looked so lovely.’

She smiled up at him. ‘That’s a nice thing to say.’

He leaned down to her slowly and they kissed. His hands moved across her back, drawing her to him. Then he lifted his head again and looked anxiously into her eyes, watching for her response. ‘I keep thinking, we have to be careful with each other, not take things too quickly. I don’t want to steamroller you. It’s taken me by surprise feeling so . . . strongly, already. I didn’t expect it, and I don’t know if you . . .’

She put her hands on each side of his face and pulled him towards her without speaking. He seemed startled by the force of her kiss, its reply to him.

‘Seems almost wrong,’ he said after a moment, ‘feeling so happy with all this going on.’

‘I don’t know.’ She held him close. ‘Maybe. I just know I’m glad. Everything’s been so sad for so long.’

After they’d stood together in silence for a moment she stepped back. ‘Come on – you need some sleep.’

‘I know. It’s OK. I just wanted to touch you.’ He stroked his fingers down her back, then released her.

‘I’ll tuck you in.’

When he was lying down she kissed him again, before his smile took her to the door.

The rest of the night passed, strange and dreamlike. Olivia sat upright in her chair, not leaning against the back of it, as if performing a penance. Anna made hot drinks to keep herself awake, and Olivia accepted those offered to her with a nod, but usually left them untouched. Most of the time she sat in silence, staring across the room towards the window at the back where the light began faintly to appear.

Anna kept feeling herself on the point of dozing off, and then Olivia would suddenly speak and she would be jerked into full consciousness again.

‘Did Katie show you my letters?’ she asked, soon after Anna came down.

‘Yes. Some of them.’ She wondered if now, finally, they were to have a proper conversation. ‘Not all, I don’t think. She didn’t tell me anything, you see, she wrote it and left it for me to find.’

‘So you know all about me.’ Her eyes still didn’t meet Anna’s, but her voice was wretched.

‘I know what you chose to tell her and what she chose to tell me herself.’