He stared back at her, immobile but for his eyes, which burned.

‘You gave us all such a fright,’ she said after a moment, staring from his hands to his face again. She sounded like she might cry, her voice choked.

His eyebrow cocked. ‘. . . Us?’

‘Me. Linus.’ Hanna pressed her lips together, as Bell knew she always did when worried about saying the wrong thing. ‘We’ve only just got you back.’

His fingers squeezed hers again. ‘And I’ve told you – I don’t intend to leave either one of you again.’ There was hidden weight, double meaning, in the words and Hanna dropped her gaze, nodding.

Bell frowned, confused by their apparent closeness. Hanna had told her Emil couldn’t bear to look at her, that he had threatened to take her son from her, to drag her to court and the world’s press; but sitting here, holding hands and whispering assurances to one another, they seemed far from sworn enemies.

Linus was watching them closely too, his face impassive but his gaze intense as he saw every look and gesture pass between his parents. They had the familiarity of old lovers, at ease physically, anticipating words, their body language a shared dance.

Dr Sorensen stepped back into the vignette. ‘I’ll leave you now, but I’ll be calling in regularly for updates, and I’ll come back on Monday afternoon to run some more tests.’

‘That’s fine,’ Hanna nodded. Her tone implied she would be there, and it drew Emil’s gaze again; he traced her face, as though committing her to memory.

Bell watched on until he glanced across at her suddenly, as though remembering her presence, and she quickly looked at the floor. An intruder, again.

‘Good,’ Dr Sorensen nodded. ‘In the meantime, call me if there’s any deterioration in his behaviour at all – vomiting, double vision, hallucination, sensitivity to light, seizures, sudden anger or change in mood, clear fluid coming from the nose or ears, abnormal eye movement –’

‘What a catch I am,’ Emil quipped, and Hanna laughed at the joke.

‘You always knew it,’ she replied, giving him a lingering gaze.

Bell was stunned. They were definitely flirting.

‘I’ve already warned him he’ll need to be woken up in the middle of the night.’ Dr Sorensen had put her stern voice on again. ‘It’s very important you wake up, Emil.’

‘You’re telling me,’ he drawled, looking over at Linus again and giving him a wink.

‘I’ll wake him,’ Linus offered excitedly.

‘You’ll have a proper night’s sleep, thank you,’ Bell said quickly, the words out before she could stop them. She gave an awkward smile as his parents both looked at her.

‘Goodbye for now, then,’ the doctor said to the room. ‘Emil. Everyone.’ She cast a glance over Bell and Linus.

‘I’ll see you out,’ Hanna said, the lady of the house again. ‘I’ll be right back,’ she whispered to Emil.

Linus trotted out with them, barely half a step behind his mother – not wanting to let her out of his sight again – as she and the medic made their way down the hall, their footsteps and low conversation gradually fading into silence.