‘I just inhaled a bit of water,’ Caroline said. ‘Everyone did when we capsized. The only difference was the fact I decided to be my own boat!’ She smiled gratefully up at the canoeist who’d rescued her. ‘Thanks for letting me hold on until we got to the bank.’

‘Are you sure?’ Tom hovered over her. ‘I really think a doctor should—’

‘No need,’ Caroline snapped. ‘I’m absolutely fine. And so is Geraldine.’

Her eyes locked with Fran’s. ‘You’re fine.’ She stressed the word fine. ‘Aren’t you?’

‘Yes,’ Fran replied, although she wasn’t quite sure why.

Evan reluctantly put his phone away, then there was a flurry of noise and motion as Caroline and Fran found themselves surrounded by the other guests, gabbling and exclaiming and squeezing forearms and patting backs. For Fran, it was almost as excruciating as being stamped on the head.

Now, she turns off the tap and carries the glass of water out of the en suite. She hands it to Caroline and hovers by the side of the bed as she gulps at it.

‘Do you want any more?’ she asks as Caroline sets the empty glass on the bedside table.

Caroline shakes her head then settles herself back against her pillows. Dark circles have settled under her eyes and she looks pale and drained.

‘I think it was a mistake,’ Fran says, ‘not to call an ambulance.’

Caroline flashes a weak smile at her. ‘I just need a couple of hours of rest and then I’ll be fine. We need to be here, Fran. There are only a few days left of the course. There’s what, nine of us here? I’d be surprised if Tom and Kate hold another one; no one’s interested in SoulShrink anymore. Do you want to find out what happened to your sister or not?’

‘Of course I do.’

‘Which is precisely why you need to go to your one-to-one with Tom.’

Chapter 25

Then

JENNA

A wave of nausea forces Jenna to stop walking. She presses a hand to her chest and takes a few shallow breaths. How the hell is she going to sit, alone, in the same room as Tom, without mentioning what happened the previous day? She was going to hide in her bedroom until her scheduled one-to-one session was over but Kate came looking for her.

‘Please,’ she begged as Jenna answered the knock on her chalet door. ‘Go to your one-to-one or Tom will get suspicious that something is up, but don’t mention what you overheard yesterday.’