Lorenzo’s arm steered her back into the house through the hall and into the kitchen, where he settled her down on a chair. She was barely aware of the move.

Big, beautiful Jock. Her son. So close to death, so lost and alone. How would they come back from this? Though Zac had been reassuring, and help was being given now. Importantly, he had breathed before the swelling because Hana had cut him down quickly.

Stella thought of her daughter-in-law. ‘Hana will be beside herself until he wakes,’ she said. She should have listened to Ava when she’d said he was depressed. Made something happen right away. But she’d been too busy thinking of Noah and the way he’d dealt with her leaving. That too had been suicide of a sort, and she’d panicked into denial. More evidence of her being useless again.

Lorenzo patted her shoulder. ‘I see you are creating the disastro in your head. We will be positive. Say “yes, Jock will recover”. Say “yes, Hana’s baby will be safe”. I will say this with you every hour until this happens.’ Lorenzo crouched down in front of her. ‘Let me drive you to Alice tomorrow.’

Stella shook her head. ‘No.’ She needed to go with her family. Though when she looked at him, she wished they could leave now, but they’d wait for daylight. It was the sensible thing to do. They couldn’t afford any more accidents, and travelling so far at night wasn’t safe.

Lorenzo frowned slightly, but all he said was, ‘I will be here for you. You need to remember this. But I will explain another day.’ Then he stood and began to rifle through the cupboards behind her.

She heard the chink of glass on glass and a thimble-sized shot of amber liquid appeared beside her face. ‘Sip while I make the tea.’

She took it absently, sipped and grimaced. He’d poured from the bottle of cooking brandy she kept in the cupboard.

‘Medicine,’ he said.

‘Are you trying to get me drunk?’ Yuck, but the sip she’d taken had warmed a trail in her chilled centre. She took another.

‘One day I would like this. Not today.’ She heard the smile in his voice and that hidden thread of someone sane in this suddenly cracked world sounded reassuring, so she clung to it.

She turned her face. ‘Why do you like me, Lorenzo?’

His dark eyes stared down at her and his face softened. ‘You stay in my mind. And burn my heart like this liquid burns you. But that too is for another day.’

Chapter Forty-four

Hana