Izzy would have exchanged her current situation for a day sailing. She’d do anything to feel the wind in her hair and the spray on her face.

Flies buzzed around the pony and he shook his head, irritated. Izzy clutched the front of the saddle, terrified of falling. There was probably symbolism here if she looked for it. Trying something new. Stepping out of your comfort zone. Letting go of the predictable.

Maybe she’d write a blog about it. How far should you go to please another person? Where did you draw the line between being easygoing and a total pushover? Right now she felt like a pushover, although it was true that the views were pretty good from the back of a horse. She looked over walls and hedges to mountain slopes dappled by heather and rocks. She looked down into fast-flowing rivers and was eye level with the lower branches of trees.

She realized that for the first time in months she didn’t feel exhausted. She was sleeping better, waking to birdsong and cool lake air rather than nightmares or Molly crying.

They arrived back at Lake Lodge, tired and overheated.

Flora and Clare vanished indoors to shower and change.

Izzy rubbed her fingers in her damp, matted hair and eyed the lake. Wearing the hard hat had given her a headache. “Straight into the lake for a swim and cooldown, I think.” Their bathing suits were hanging over the back of a sunlounger, drying from the day before. She held out her hand to Molly. “Last one in is a big baboon.”

“No!” Molly shrank from her and Izzy felt that rejection like a blow to the gut. She’d just been on a horse for goodness sake. She was starting to think her walk would never be normal again. The least her sister could do was join her for a dip.

“But you love swimming.”

“I don’t want to.” Molly burst into noisy sobs while Izzy stood, stunned.

What was wrong? Her sister loved everything to do with the water.

Confused, Izzy dropped to her knees and hugged her. “There,” she said soothingly. “It’s fine. You don’t have to swim if you don’t want to.” But why wouldn’t she want to? Was this a tantrum? Was she tired after the horse-riding? Izzy’s whole body ached from holding on and trying not to fall on her head and die, so that was possible.

Molly’s sobs intensified until she was gulping in air in between each heartrending howl.

Izzy started to panic. This was her sister. She knew her sister. But she had no idea what was going on here. “What’s the matter? Did something happen? Have you hurt yourself? Was it the horse? Did it bite you or something?”

Molly shook her head, her face crumpled. “I miss Mommy.”