Flynn glanced around before he sat down. The door to the bedroom across the room was still shut. He hoped that meant Keely wasn’t up yet.

* * *

Keely lay cocooned under the covers as the murmur of male voices rose and fell beyond the door. She wished she could stay in bed all day. She felt tired and groggy after a restless night trying to get comfortable. The spasms of pain across her stomach had kept her awake for a long time. Her pain-relief tablets were all gone and if it hadn’t been for Anna’s she may not have slept at all. Anna had been right. Keely should have taken the tablets straight away. When she’d finally dragged herself up to swallow them, the clock had shown two am. She’d tried to distract herself with her phone until she’d drifted off to sleep but now that she was awake again she felt washed out, like she had when she’d just left hospital.

There were other things that had kept her awake. The snatches of words she had overheard the night before replayed in her mind. It was mortifying to think she was the centre of local gossip. She’d hardly seen anyone before the meal at Anna’s and yet there were stories circulating about her, embarrassing stories. She blushed and eased herself gingerly off the bed. She had to move on before she caused the Levallier family any more grief.

It was a chilly morning again. She carefully pulled a windcheater on over her pyjamas and opened the door to the family room.

Euan and Flynn were sitting at the table. She could tell by their surprised looks neither of them had been expecting to see her.

“Good morning.” Keely took a deep breath and slowly straightened her shoulders.

“How are you?” Euan rose quickly. “Can I get you some breakfast?”

“I’m fine.” Keely gritted her teeth as another spasm tugged at her. “I don’t need anything, thanks. I just wanted to thank you for your kindness. It’s been great to have such a lovely place to recuperate but I should get on with my travels. I wondered if anyone was going into town. I’d like a lift to the bus.” She stopped, pressed her lips together and breathed in through her nose.

Both men stared at her for a minute then Flynn spoke. “I could run you—”

“You don’t have to go yet.” Euan’s words cut him off. “You don’t look too good.”

“I’ll be fine, I just…” The pain surged across her stomach and Keely reached for the back of a chair to steady herself.

“This is nonsense.” Euan strode across the room and helped her to sit. “Flynn, make Keely a cup of tea. We need to talk.”

“Please don’t fuss. I’ll be fine.”