‘He won’t accept,’ he replied, ‘and it’s cover for your presence to explain being up at this hour.’ He lifted his wrist to glance at his watch. ‘It’s after three, Tilly. So you woke, saw I was still up, and your tender heart got the better of you so you came out to make me a coffee.’

‘Yes.’ Tilly jumped up, caught sight of her clothes and whirled to the door. ‘I’ll put a robe on and some slippers. You light the gas, he’ll be here any minute.’ The snores in the bedroom stopped suddenly and springs creaked as though the professor had rolled over, before they began again in a deeper register. Sophie’s room was quiet as Tilly feverishly pulled the scrunchy from her hair and dragged her dressing gown on over her clothes. The vehicle pulled up before the homestead, and she hurried back to the kitchen in time to catch the kettle as it began to whistle.

She heard Connor cross to the door and the faint squeak of its hinges. He said something, a mumble, then his words came more clearly as he turned back, ‘Come on in, then. Though I’m afraid you’ve had a wasted journey.’

‘What do you mean?’ Peeping round the opened fridge door, Tilly saw Wilmot stop in his tracks. He looked tired and tense, stubble shadowed his lower face and his eyes had narrowed suspiciously.

Connor seemed oblivious to his reaction. ‘Where’s Burns? I thought he was with you.’

‘Left him at Alloway.’ Catching sight of Tilly, he said abruptly, ‘G’day. Up late, aren’t you?’

Caught off guard, she opened her mouth to answer, but Connor spoke first and she busied herself sweeping together the sauce, pepper and salt canisters, and sugar holder left out on the bench top. Sophie never put stuff away after herself.

‘Why?’ Connor said. ‘I mean, it doesn’t matter as it’s turned out but—’

‘Dysentery. He’s stuck in the Gents for the duration, I reckon. Come on him sudden like. Then you ring like the house is on fire, so we reckoned I’d better just head over.’ He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and shook his head. ‘And now you’re telling me – what exactly?’