The nurse nodded. ‘Stay away from bar work for at least a week, then see your GP for a certificate if you’re not fit to return by then.’

‘I’m going to Switzerland on Monday.’ Lily could hear the flatness in her voice. ‘I can’t miss it,’ she said, to forestall any such suggestion.

‘Oh-kay,’ the nurse said in a voice that suggested Lily was bonkers. ‘Well, there will be discomfort involved in travel and the codeine might make you sleepy.’ She began to fit the sling. ‘Come back or see your GP if the swelling doesn’t begin to go down after a week. Anyone at home to look after you? Get your meals? Do up your buttons?’ The nurse glanced at Isaac as if to say, ‘Wow, him? Lucky you!’

‘No. I’ll be OK,’ said Lily at the same moment as Zinnia and Roma both said, ‘You can come home with me.’ She shook her head at them. ‘I’m going home to Middledip.’ Roma and Patsie had enough to deal with and, even putting aside the post-fire condition of Zinnia’s house, she did not feel like cosying up with her sister right then.

Zinnia hovered as the nurse went off to get some paperwork and the codeine. ‘Lily, I honestly thought … I’m just so sorry.’ She gulped. ‘You must hate me but please believe I’m sorry.’

Wanting to shut out her sister’s guilt-ravaged face Lily closed her eyes again. ‘I know. We’ll talk another time.’

It was more than an hour past midnight when Lily was finally okayed to go home. Drunks and brawlers were still staggering in through the doors of A and E as they left and Isaac kept an arm thrust out to shield her from any of them reeling into her damaged hand which, despite her having taken the first dose of codeine, throbbed sickeningly. Zinnia and Roma hovered like anxious guardians either side, standing, watching, waving as Isaac helped Lily into his car then reversed from the parking space.

They drove home through the night in silence apart from Lily saying to Isaac, ‘You’ve been brilliant. I’m really grateful.’

He replied, ‘Glad to be there for you.’ For a moment his hand rested on her leg, then he moved it to change gear and didn’t put it back. Lily turned her head and watched the passing scenery, the Christmas lights on buildings, the parkways that eventually gave way to the lanes where leafless hedgerows looked petrified by the winter moonlight.

In Middledip, Carola’s house was in darkness apart from the illumination down the steps to her flat. Indoors, she slid out of her coat and lowered herself onto the two-seater sofa. She gritted her teeth. ‘I feel like shitty death. What’s going to happen about Switzerland? I’m the only driver and the trip begins—’ she glanced at the clock on the microwave ‘—tomorrow.’

Chapter Ten