But there was no doubt now because, as he’d turned, he’d shown the other side of his face. The ruined side.

‘Ed …?’

He frowned at her now.

‘Ed? Is it really you?’

He was still frowning, not recognizing her. Had she really changed that much? He was still Ed. Taller, bigger, older, thinner … but Ed all right.

‘It’s me,’ she said, trying not to let her voice go pathetic. ‘Brooke …’

His face opened up into a smile.

‘Jesus, Brooke … what happened to you?’

‘Shit happened to me.’

He looked her up and down. It was true she’d changed a lot, let the bleach grow out of her hair, cut it short, got rid of her tacky clothes and taken this old dress from the V&A … and the bandage.

Of course. The bandage. No wonder he hadn’t recognized her.

‘Open the gates,’ she said to the two sentries. ‘They’re OK.’

The boys unlocked the gates and let Ed and his three friends in.

‘This is Kyle, Will and Macca,’ Ed said, and Brooke hugged him, crushing him against her chest.

‘Bloody hell, Ed,’ she said. ‘I can’t believe it.’

‘Me neither.’ Ed gently touched her back. ‘You weren’t who we were expecting to find here at all.’

Brooke pulled away from him and put her fingers to his scar, traced the line of it. It was both worse and better than she remembered it. Worse because in her imagination she had made it smaller and made him more handsome, and better because now it really didn’t matter to her.

She could see him looking at her bandage. She had a million questions, and she was sure he did too, but for the moment neither of them could say anything. Ed’s three friends were introducing themselves to the sentries and they were at least talking.

Brooke took Ed’s hand and led him away from them. She kissed him lightly on the lips. He was awkward, stiff and embarrassed.

‘I’ve missed you so much, Ed,’ she said. Ed shrugged. Didn’t know where to look.

‘Really?’ he said. ‘It’s been a long time.’

Brooke wondered what she could do to get him to relax. When they’d been split up during the big fire things hadn’t been too good between them.

Because of his scar.

How disgusted she’d been by it.

Well, a lot had happened since then.

Without saying anything she unwound the bandage from her head. It was like she was undressing in front of him. As she removed it, she saw a look come into his eyes, the same look she must have given him when he was first wounded.

‘That looks recent,’ he said, and she nodded. ‘The pain goes away eventually,’ he added. ‘Most of the time.’