‘Is he unconscious?’ she asked the nurse.

‘He’s semi-conscious. But he may not be able to speak.’

Evie wanted to scream.

‘So I’m too late?’

‘No. Talk to him. He might respond, and if he doesn’t, he’ll hear you. The last sense to leave is hearing. I’ll give you some privacy. I’ll be just down the corridor if you need me.’

When she was gone, Evie sat at the bedside. She was afraid. This stranger wasn’t Doug. This couldn’t possibly be her strong and athletic husband: the man with a powerful tennis serve, the tuan besar who walked for hours around his rubber estates giving orders, his dog at his side, the man who had fathered two children and loved to drink whisky, the man of changing and unpredictable moods, and of few words, the husband who struggled to express his feelings and who had sometimes caused her to doubt he had any. The man lying in front of her was grey-faced and wizened, his breath barely discernible, his body broken, his strength gone.

Her over-riding emotions were pity and sadness. How had it come to this? How was it possible that a split second’s inattention had led to this shocking transformation and imminent death?

Swallowing her fear, she wrapped her warm fingers around his cold ones. There was no response. It took an act of will for her to speak to him, as if she were already addressing a corpse.

‘Doug, my darling, can you hear me? It’s Evie. I’m here. The nurse says even if you seem to be asleep you can probably hear me.’

No response.

‘I have a letter for you from Jasmine. I’m going to read it out to you.’ She reached for her handbag and took out the folded note paper. ‘Here’s what she says, “Dear Daddy, I’m sad that you have had a bad accident and are very poorly. Miss Helston is going to ask our class to say prayers for you. I am saying extra special ones. Just for you. Baby Hughie sends his love. Even though he can’t speak I know he loves you as much as Mummy and I do.”’ Evie struggled to steady her voice as she read the words. Gulping, she continued. ‘“I got a new proficiency badge at Brownies. It’s for swimming and has a frog on it. Mummy’s going to sew it on my uniform. Got to go now. Lots and lots of love from Jasmine.” She’s added about a hundred kisses and she’s drawn a picture of you–’ Evie had been about to say that the picture was of Doug playing tennis but stopped herself just in time.

She took another slow deep breath. She had to keep it together. Be strong. She mustn’t make it harder for him.

Brushing a lock of hair away from his brow with her free hand, she noticed his normally thick lustrous dark brown hair was limp and thin under her fingers. God – even his hair was dying.