I left the room and checked on Pepper next. He lay with Rosa beneath the green and beige rug, only their heads poking out. Two peas in a pod, I thought. But although Rosa seemed snug, perspiration sheened Pepper’s face, and he appeared to be shivering.

I felt his forehead with the back of my fingers. He was burning up.

“Peps,” I said quietly. “You awake?”

He opened his eyes, saw me, closed them.

“You got a bit of a chill in the rain, buddy.”

He didn’t say anything.

Best thing for him, I figured, would be a hot drink. We had rainwater, but Solano didn’t have a stove or microwave to heat up the water, and I didn’t think it would be wise to start an indoor fire.

Second best thing for him would be to get him up and moving.

“Hey, Peps,” I said. “Can you sit up?”

He shook his head imperceptibly.

“Just for a bit. Get your circulation moving.”

“Can’t,” he said.

“Can you try?”

He struggled to his elbows with great effort, then flopped back down. He shook his head.

“Okay,” I said. “Just rest. Do you want some water?”

“No…”

“I’ll be back.”

I turned to leave and found Pita directly behind me.

“Trying to give me a heart attack?” I said.

“I’m going to sleep in here for a bit,” she said.

“I don’t think there’s any more room in the bed.”

“On the floor.”

“Be my guest.”

She moved past me and settled on the floor at the foot of the bed. Then she lay on her side and curled herself into a ball, using one arm as a pillow.

I waited for her to say something, maybe goodnight. She didn’t. I exited the room and closed the door behind me.

I went to the table and sat next to Elizaveta. Tired of carrying the hay hook around, I set it on the tabletop.

“Lucinda seems stable,” I said.

“She’s lost much blood.”

“Hopefully she can hang on until morning.”

“And Pepper too.”

“He’s not that bad.”

“I think he has…how do you say?” She shook herself and said, “Brrrr…”

“Hypothermia?” That had crossed my mind. “Maybe,” I said. “But he has a fever. I’m pretty sure if you have hypothermia your skin would be cool to the touch, not hot.”

“He is shivering.”

“I think he just has a nasty bug.”

Elizaveta seemed alarmed. “Bug?”

“No, not like that. Speaking of which, how’s your sting?”

“It hurts.”

“That’s all?”

“I was a bit dizzy for a while.”

I frowned in concern.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m okay now. I feel better.”

“I hope so.”

“I don’t trick you, Jack. So what is this bug you say?”