I took a step towards Jake, feeling a sick, lurching sensation in my stomach as I neared the edge: vertigo by proxy.

Jennifer held both hands up in silent alarm. I froze.

She turned back to her son. ‘Don’t look down, Jake,’ she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

He turned back to look at her, blond fringe falling over one eye.

‘Why not?’

‘Because you might lose your balance. Better to keep your head up, look at the horizon.’

‘Nah.’

‘Please, Jake,’ Jennifer said, her voice taut, ‘just don’t, OK?’

He gave Lucy a grin full of bravado, then turned and looked straight down into the gorge.

Chapter 19

19

Jake leaned forward slightly to look down and then jerked straight again, knees wobbling, arms windmilling at his sides for balance.

Jennifer’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Jake!’

He stepped back from the edge abruptly, turning to give a little bow.

‘Ta-da! You see? Safe.’

Jennifer grabbed his arm and pulled him further away from the bluff.

‘Don’t ever do that again, Jake! That is so dangerous. I was so scared.’

‘Don’t overreact, Jen, it’s just a bit of fun.’

He shook her off and went to stand with Ethan, who was holding up his phone.

‘Nice one,’ Jake said, scrolling through the pictures his brother had taken. ‘Might post a few of these. Send them to me, yeah?’

I put an arm on Lucy’s shoulder.

‘Luce, you must promise me never ever to go near the edge here, do you hear me? In fact, you shouldn’t come down here at all until the barrier is fixed.’

She shrugged my hand off and stood up.

‘You don’t have to treat me like a five-year-old.’

‘I’m just worried about you, that’s all.’

She walked over to where Jake was checking the pictures Ethan had taken of him on the cliff edge.

Jennifer and I moved closer to Jake as if we might have to grab him back from the edge at any moment: mother tigers circling the errant cub. I touched her gently on the arm.

‘Are you OK?’ I asked.

‘Yeah,’ Jennifer said in a monotone, her eyes not leaving her sons.

She didn’t look OK. The deep flush in her face had spread down to her neck and chest, her whole body shaking with adrenaline.

‘This drop-off is pretty scary,’ I said.

‘It’s so dangerous!’ she said, her voice rising. ‘How could Rowan have not told us about this? How is it even allowed?’

‘We’re all fine,’ I said, giving her a quick hug. ‘We’re all safe. Jake’s safe.’

I inched slowly and carefully to the drop-off, taking small steps in the dusty soil.