And then there are more people in the room: Marko and Helen, Ian and Mandy, Ralph and his wife, Reedy. All of them seem slightly embarrassed by arriving at the same time in a place where they clearly don’t feel comfortable. Are they surprised to see Elaine here? I can’t tell. Marko comes in close to the bed, grips my hand tightly, and shakes it. He looks worried and confused. I’m sure he doesn’t believe that someone hit me. I point to the back of my head where the pain is centred and I can feel a dressing. He gets the message, and gives me a relieved laugh.

Ian says, ‘You look a lot better than when I last saw you.’

I thank him and Mandy, and they shake their heads at me to refuse my thanks.

‘We think we scared him off. Don’t know what he could have been looking for.’ His eyes crinkle a little bit, I guess because he realises he’s suggested there’s nothing worth stealing in my house.

‘I had a big win at the races a while ago.’ I nod in Helen’s direction, and she gives a little nod of confirmation that at least the attending-the-races bit is true. ‘Maybe they saw that.’

‘You went to the races? I didn’t know you went to the races,’ Ralph says. ‘You could have taken me.’

I realise that only Ian and Mandy know Elaine. ‘Everyone, this is Elaine Slade. Lives down the road from me.’ Elaine gets out of her chair, and shakes hands.

‘Have you put the money somewhere safe?’ Helen is more worried than I’ve seen her.

I tell her yes, and then Marko says, in a kind of committee-member voice, ‘We think you should come and stay with us, just for a while. You don’t seem to be looking after yourself, Sarah’s worried about you, and now this.’ He indicates my bed. ‘But if you didn’t want to stay with us, you could stay with someone else.’

‘There’s plenty of room at our place, and it’s close by.’ Mandy jumps in, maybe to show how worried she is.

‘Sarah’s been talking to you?’

Helen lets her head make a downward movement.

‘She thinks it would be a good idea if you stayed with one of us.’ Reedy has pushed forward a little, her frame long and scrawny, as her name suggests. I am suddenly very angry. Sarah doesn’t talk to me, but she talks to these people so they can all decide what is good for me. I don’t want to live in anyone else’s house, or share their table. Their team goodwill is going to take me away from James.

‘Actually, I think I’d like to you all to leave.’

They are stunned and upset. ‘Dave,’ Ian says, and Marko follows with, ‘Mate.’