There was the sound of running footsteps and both of them looked up. Instinctively, Jane stepped in front of Luke, which seemed to cause him some amusement. Matthew was coming towards them looking angry.

‘What happened to you? Who did this?’

Luke nodded at Jane. ‘She did.’

Matthew slid his eyes sideways to Jane. ‘Er . . .’

Luke put a hand on his shoulder for support. ‘Do you have any ice on you?’

‘I could get some, I expect.’

‘Could you put it in a drink?’

Luke’s room was a tip. It was very apparent he hadn’t quite grasped that the housekeeping fairies no longer visited in the night.

Jane helped him on to his unmade bed and Matthew disappeared in search of alcohol for the patient.

‘Drinking in our rooms is not allowed,’ Jane called after him, in some alarm.

Luke closed his eyes. ‘Good. Go and tell them I’m drinking in my room and invite them to chuck me out as soon as possible.’

She wet a flannel and passed it to him. ‘Wipe your face.’

‘Aren’t you going to do it for me?’

‘No. Who’s Orduroy Tannhauser?’

He mumbled something.

‘Sorry, I didn’t catch that.’

Pain made him irritable. ‘For God’s sake, Jane, let it go.’

She shot him a look and got up to go.

‘Sorry. Sorry. And I haven’t thanked you for saving my life, even if it was at the expense of the next generation of Parrishes.’

She headed towards the door.

‘Sorry. Again.’ He sighed. ‘No, I am.’ He shifted painfully on the bed. ‘I’m grateful, Jane. That could have been quite bad, so thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘You’re not asking about . . .’

‘You don’t want to tell me.’

‘Yeah, well, it’s not a pretty story.’

‘Don’t do that.’

‘What?’

‘Patronise me.’

‘I wasn’t,’ he said, indignantly. And then thought about it. ‘Was I?’

‘It’s not a pretty story so don’t tell Jane. She might get upset.’

‘Well, you must admit . . .’

‘Oh, fire truck off, Parrish.’

She stormed out.

He lay back on his pillows. ‘Wish she’d never thought of that.’

The next one in was Matthew with a very large glass and an ice pack.

Luke made good use of both. ‘Thanks.’

Matthew nodded.

‘God, do you ever speak?’

He shrugged. ‘Does it matter? You never listen.’ He left, shutting the door behind him.

Luke leaned back against his pillows, closed his mind against the pain and sipped his drink. The measure was a double – Matthew had been generous. He hoped he might fall asleep but the combination of throbbing and guilt kept him awake. He lay on his bed, alternately drinking and thinking.

An hour later, Ellis turned up, pale-faced and moving very slowly.

Luke tried to sit up. ‘Should you be out of MedCen?’

‘No.’ He winced, pulled up a chair and sat carefully, grimacing in pain.

Luke grinned at him. ‘Snap.’