‘Would you prefer coffee?’ she asks, as if I am simply a tourist who came a cropper while out on one of her horses. How can she be so relaxed? How can she even be thinking about whether I want tea or coffee to drink? I shake my head in irritation, then, taking Bonnie, David and myself by surprise, I get abruptly to my feet.

‘I need to wash my face,’ I mutter. ‘Back in a sec.’

Pulling the door shut behind me, I run across the yard, aiming blindly for the hay barn, and once inside, clamber over the bales until I reach the wooden rafters right at the top.

I still feel cold all over and my hair is matted with river water. The scratches I got from all the brambles and stones are stinging, but there is a far worse pain coming from deep inside, from where my anxious heart is smashing against my chest. The enormity of it all is raining down on me – the desperate race through the undergrowth, the leap into the river, Kit’s arms hauling me out, the sight of my mum, and of David. My throat closes up and I start to gasp. It’s as if I’m underneath the water again, but this time it’s a current of pure panic dragging me down, twisting me around and around in the dark. Black spots swirl in front of my eyes, and I fall backwards against the scratchy hay, letting out a muffled cry of fear.

‘B-B-Beeeea!’ sings a voice, and the next thing I am aware of is a rough, dry tongue licking me all over my face. Opening my eyes, I find Beavis standing on my chest, his little head cocked to one side with concern, his tail wagging with excitement at having found me. Taking a very deep breath in through my nose, I exhale it out through my mouth and sit slowly back up just as Tui’s face appears below me.

‘Beeeeea!’ she says with a giggle. ‘Where did you go to, Bea? Don’t you run away now.’

‘I think he came to find me,’ I tell her. ‘Returning the favour, perhaps.’

Tui frowns, not understanding, then crawls across on all fours to sit beside me.

‘Are you feeling OK after your big adventure?’ I ask, and she shakes her head happily from side to side.

‘Yes, Genie,’ she trills. ‘I got lost, didn’t I?’

‘You worried me, running off like that,’ I tell her. ‘You know how scary it is when Beavis runs away and you don’t know where he is?’

Tui shakes her head, her eyes solemn.

‘Well, that’s how I felt when I couldn’t find you – I was scared.’

‘Sorry.’ Tui looks at me through lashes that are lowered by shame. ‘I won’t do it again, OK?’

‘OK.’ I grin to perk her up. ‘Do you promise?’