‘And like you also said — be careful what you wish for.’ She grinned at him. ‘Okay — up in that loft. I’m quite looking forward to getting a sight of the Ballards of old.’

* * *

Kate slept solidly until supper time, but even when she woke up she seemed lethargic and sleepy.

Will had prepared a simple meal, guessing that Kate wouldn’t be very hungry. He was right, but she did make some effort to eat what he put before her. As he was clearing away the plates, she said, ‘I’m so sorry about earlier, sweetheart. But the simple fact is, I can’t do it, Will. I don’t want to go into town any more. I felt terrible. I can’t seem to face crowds, people, or even traffic.’ Her look at him was so pathetic that it hurt.

‘Okay, love. Tell me what happened,’ he said gently.

‘There’s nothing to tell. I can’t face the town, that’s all there is to it.’

He squeezed her hand. ‘I think it’s time we had a word with the doctor, Kate. Look at you, you’re losing weight by the hour, you’re pale — and now this. What do you think?’

She pulled her hand away. ‘No doctors, Will. We’ve been there before, remember?’

He needed no reminding. ‘I’m not talking about like before. I meant a quiet word with the GP. Perhaps you just need a tonic? You may be a bit anaemic, or just generally run down. A blood test might be all that’s necessary, and then some iron tablets or vitamins.’

If he could just get her into that surgery, hopefully the doctor might notice her deterioration and take things further.

But her look dispelled all hope of that. Her eyes took on a steely glint. ‘No doctors.’

There was no arguing.

For once, Kate didn’t go to her studio. Instead, she sat with her laptop on her knees and yet again began a search on the history of the area.

‘Not fed up with all that?’

‘No way. Look at this — it’s fascinating.’

He stared blankly at some dull document that he presumed to be a parish record.

‘The Holland family have been on this fen since it was full of mists and eels,’ she was saying.

‘Still is, isn’t it?’

‘Mists, yes, but I mean a time when eels and wild birds were the staple diet of the folk that lived in this watery no-man’s-land.’

‘Sounds gloomy.’

‘It was. The fen people must have had a pretty meagre existence, living on wild food, plants and fruits, fish and fowl.’ She looked up at him, her face reflecting the silvery glow from the screen. ‘Outsiders used to reckon they had webbed feet, you know.’

‘I noticed you’ve been keeping your socks and shoes on a lot recently, maybe you’ve been spending too long out on Whisper Fen,’ said Will smiling.