‘Good point. Come on, then.’ He helped guide me to the bathroom, supporting my weight on the injured side, and sat me down on the closed toilet seat, leaving me to do my ablutions. When I was done, we did the return journey and he held the duvet up as I crawled under and flopped down.

‘Comfy?’ he asked, fluffing the pillows again and straightening the covers.

‘You’re good at this,’ I replied quietly.

‘What’s that now?’

‘Being kind. Making someone feel safe and looked after.’

‘I didn’t think you went in for all that stuff.’

‘Everyone should be kind. And I think we all want to feel looked after from time to time.’

‘I’d agree. Maybe you ought to let people do it for you now and then. Now, get some sleep.’ He clicked the light off beside me, allowing the beams of the full moon to shine through the open curtains and bathe the room in a peaceful, heavenly light. ‘Do you want these closed?’

I shook my head. ‘I like the moon.’

‘Me too.’

I returned his soft, moonlit smile and snuggled down, realising he’d been right about my eyes. They were doing their utmost to shut all by themselves.

‘Goodnight, Maddie,’ he said, turning, one hand on the door catch.

‘’Night, Lorcan.’

The door clicked behind him.

‘Lorcan!’

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, returning immediately, concern shadowing the blue of his eyes.

‘Thank you.’

This time the smile was full-wattage but I only got a glimpse as my eyes closed. The words ‘you’re welcome’ drifted around in my mind for a moment before everything faded to black.

* * *

The next morning found me, still sore, but sitting in the window seat of the pub tucking into another of Brighid’s amazing breakfasts with her fussing around me like one of the mother hens outside the window. After my attempts to kindly stop her doing so, Gerry had paused by my table, bent and whispered, ‘Just let her, love. It makes her happy.’ Patting my hand, he’d then ambled back on his way. So I had. As unfamiliar as it felt, it was also wonderful. I’d stayed at plenty of hotels in my time, including some of the best five stars in the world, with very attentive staff, but this was nothing like any of them. This felt like a home, and Brighid’s fussings were almost familial, because, as Gerry had said, she did it because she really cared. It wasn’t just a gimmick to try and bring the money in.

‘And what are you up to today?’ she asked as she came over and began pouring me another cup of tea from the enormous pot. ‘Not too much, I hope. Dr McGinty said you’re to rest for a couple of days when you can.’

‘Not many secrets around here, are there?’ I said, laughing as I thanked her for the tea.