“It’s well cured and I’ve had it tested. It should be fine.” Dan let go of the cup and ran both hands through his hair. It stood out all over his head and a fresh wave of smoky odour reached Paula.

“Why don’t you have a shower and try to get some sleep?”

Dan lurched to his feet. “I think I might. I’ll go back in the morning and see if there’s anything else I can do. Poor Ted, you should have seen him. I’ve never witnessed a man so close to breaking down. He was running all over the place for hours, until we eventually got him to stop and rest for a while. He was like a zombie when I left.”

“He’s exhausted, like you.” Paula put a hand on Dan’s back and urged him towards the bathroom.

He stopped and turned back to her. “No, it was more than that. He looked…”

Paula waited as Dan searched for the word. Then he locked his tired eyes with hers. “He looked broken.”

Dan’s shoulders slumped as he stumbled off to the bathroom. Paula felt bad. She was worried about her own husband and about Heather and the children but she had trouble feeling any empathy for Ted. “Dear God, what kind of person does that make me?” she muttered and instantly offered up a prayer of support for the Watsons.

* * *

Dan flung himself upright, struggling against the bags holding him back. Dazed, he looked down at the sheet and quilt he’d flung off, then over at Paula sleeping beside him. He’d been dreaming he was still at the fire and felt the relief flow over him as he realised he was home in his own bed.

The clock glowed seven am. He’d only been asleep for a couple of hours. Paula stirred beside him, then rolled over and exhaled the sigh of a deep sleeper. She hadn’t had much rest either. Carefully he eased off the bed and collected some clothes before slipping out of the bedroom.

Dan wanted to call in to see Ted before doing a drive around to see what damage, if any, had been done by last night’s rain. Paula may as well catch up on some sleep, there was nothing she could do to help at the moment.

He shivered in the cool air of the kitchen and struggled into his clothes. The sandwich Paula had made him a few hours earlier still sat on the table. He poured himself a large glass of water and tipped it down between bites.

On the sink was an empty can of dog food which reminded him of the pup. He’d been surprised by Paula’s birthday gift but also impressed by the effort she’d gone to.