I took a couple of cautious steps. It hurt like the devil. I stretched my arms out in front of me, over my head.

Then I bent over. Bloody hell, I was sore! But everything still worked. Nothing was broken. I’d been luckier than I deserved.

I turned toward the first-aid kit, picked up after myself and closed it.

“Where do you want me to put the kit?”

“I’ll take it.”

I put it down on the floor beside her bed.

“Thank you,” I said again. I was about to leave. But then she stood up too.

“David?”

“Yes?”

We stood there facing each other.

“I was looking for you,” she said.

“Oh?”

“I wondered how you were doing, you and Lou.”

“Lou has been ill. We’ve barely been out of the hall.”

“Ill?”

I could see that she was frightened. That she cared.

“She’s fine now,” I hastened to add.

“I’m happy to hear that.”

“Me too—that is, I mean, of course I am . . .”

David, shut up. Now you’re just making a mess of things.

She didn’t reply, but she held my gaze. And suddenly a little smile appeared. “You look terrible.”

And then I noticed that I was trembling, how shaken up I was. Sore. Beaten to a pulp. Everything in my body felt loose and soft. I wasn’t put together properly. Not well hinged.

To think that I’d ended up in a fight, just like that. And with a child to take care of and everything. Idiot. Weakling. Feeble. As much willpower as a goldfish.

I swallowed. Swallowed again. Was not going to cry. Not now and not later. I was a loser, now and forever. It was a miracle that I even stood on two feet, as weak as I was.

Marguerite could see how I was shaking. Her smile disappeared and she took one step forward, lay one hand on my arm, her right hand on my left upper arm.

Her hand was cool, but nonetheless it burned against my skin.

I moaned again.

Everything hurt, all my movements, even the faint summer breeze, even the air itself.

And her hand, when it was on my arm like that, it was almost unbearable.

“Don’t take it away,” I said.

She left it where it was.

Chapter Nineteen: Signe

Chapter Nineteen

Signe

All the sails are set. The wind is driving me forward at five knots, for the third day in a row. Soon it will be six knots; the boat maintains maximum speed. The northern wind has again shifted slightly to the east, but still permits me to set sail for the south. And the power is back on, everything on board is functioning as it should.