Finally, as Malcolm sat back on his heels surveying his handiwork, the small orange flames licking the edges of the larger logs now, Fiona said, “Actually, Malcolm, there’s something I wanted to speak to you about.”

It had been the fact that his back was to her, Malcolm thought. This was what had allowed her, at last, to get it out.

Cautiously, he turned. “Oh yes?”

“It’s about Tommy.”

And now Malcolm found himself on the defensive. His reaction surprised him. His instinct, immediately, was to close this conversation down. He could not, of course. And he had no idea what Fiona might say, so why the urgent need to shield Tommy? For all he knew, she was about to invite Tommy to work in the shop with her.

He got stiffly to his feet and went to sit in his usual chair, opposite the sofa where Fiona was sitting. “What’s up, Fiona?”

She grew awkward again under his gaze. “It’s rather a difficult thing to express to you. I wouldn’t say anything if I didn’t feel I had to. You understand that, Malcolm?”

Get it out, he thought. He refused to help her.

Faced with his silence, Fiona turned her mug anxiously in her hands. She said, “You know I’m saying this only as your friend, Malcolm. We’ve known each other a long time.”

“Aye.”

“Well . . . it’s this, really. There’s been some concern among some of us.”

“Concern?” Malcolm said, keeping his voice neutral.

“About Tommy. About his visit here. About his . . . behaviour.”

“What behaviour?” Malcolm said.

“No one’s denying he’s had a terrible time,” Fiona said, her words coming more eagerly now. “No one should have to go through what he went through. And it’s not surprising, really, after everything, if he’s a wee bit . . .”

Malcolm felt a strong urge to speak, but forced himself not to.

“Unstable,” Fiona finished at last.

“Unstable in what way?” Malcolm said coldly. “I’ve seen no evidence of it.”

“You saw how he was the other night. At our house. You saw how angry he was, Malcolm. You can’t pretend you didn’t see it.”

“No, I saw it,” Malcolm said. “And I wasn’t surprised. Of course he’s angry.” He was surprised at how angry he felt himself. “He’ll be angry his whole life. That’s something he has to live with.”

“And then there was his behaviour last night,” Fiona said.

This threw Malcolm off balance. “What do you mean?”

“You know he was out walking, very late?”

“I don’t think there’s anything particularly alarming in that, Fiona,” Malcolm said, attempting to lighten his tone. “I sometimes do it myself.”

“We met him, Gavin and I,” Fiona said. “He was very aggressive. We only offered him a lift.”

“Maybe he didn’t want a lift.”

“Well, yes, he made that quite clear. He swore at me, Malcolm!”