“He doesn’t want to wait.” Elle made the first stitch. “He doesn’t intend to tell anyone he was hit.”

“What are you talking about?” Rune waved her arms and banged her hand on the glass shower door. “Of course he has to tell everyone he was hit. The police are going to ask.”

Elle said, “In a general way, perhaps, but—”

“You’ll never succeed in stitching it—” Seeing Elle’s competence, Rune changed direction. “Adam, you need an injection. For infection.”

“I have everything I need at home,” Adam reassured her.

“Of course you do. Doesn’t everybody stock their own penicillin?” Rune wrung her hands.

“If they’re smart,” Adam said.

“Rune, you must be feeling less frightened.” Elle smiled as she completed the last stitch. “You’re sarcastic. Hand me another gauze pad and tear off four four-inch pieces of tape, would you?”

Rune handed her a gauze pad in its wrappings, took it back, opened the package, tore the strips and returned them. Leaning both hands on the sink, she sagged and closed her eyes, then opened them and caught sight of her reflection. “Look at me,” she moaned. “Why am I even concerned with you two when I’ve got window glass in my face?”

“Because you’re a kind and caring person.” Elle pressed the dressing to Adam’s arm. “Six stitches, nicely done if I do say so myself.”

Rune risked a glance and muttered, “Maybe medical school.”

“You’ve got a steady hand.” Adam took a look at Rune. “You, not so much. Do you have a shirt I can wear? An old shirt, blue or brown, some color that won’t show blood if I bleed through? Button-front?”

“In the back of my closet.”

“Can I use it?”

Before Rune could answer, Elle said, “Also, if you’ve got a T-shirt I could borrow?” She nudged her bloody shirt with her toe. “This one’s ruined. Angelica would not be pleased.”

Rune took a breath and whipped out the bathroom door.

As soon as she was gone, Elle sank onto the floor and put her head on her bent knees. Now that the stitches had been dealt with, her fears were realized and the adrenaline that had kept her on her feet faded, she trembled like a leaf in the wind. Tears hovered on her lashes, and she fought a losing battle for composure.

Adam placed a gentle hand on her head. “Thank you. You did a wonderful job.”

She nodded.

“Queasy now?”

She nodded again. The trauma of the last few moments left her fighting a battle with her breakfast, and of course Adam knew. She took long breaths, got herself under control and met his gaze. “I’ll buck up for Rune’s sake.”

Adam petted her hair as if she was a cat. “The letdown is always difficult.”