Fergus had chosen Xavier especially. There’d been an article about him and his wheelchair basketball team in a local paper, and Fergus had felt a surge of pride in Xavier’s determination and fighting spirit. He knew Xavier would be the sort of brother he could be proud of. There had been practical considerations as well as emotional ones. It didn’t work to have a brother who could play the hero. Fergus had made that mistake before, and it had almost ended in disaster. Xavier wasn’t going to be breaking down the flat door any time soon, especially without his wheelchair. Choosing a sibling with a physically limiting disease ticked every single box. That was why Xavier had been on Fergus’ radar for a long time now, longer even than Angela.

‘What happened to Angela?’ Fergus asked, staring at the wall with the painted window. In his mind, the curtains were blowing and birds were singing outside.

‘Who’s Angela?’ Elspeth asked.

‘You were supposed to be Angela,’ he told her. ‘She was perfect.’

‘Elspeth’s perfect,’ Meggy said. ‘Why isn’t that man getting up?’

‘His legs don’t work; don’t be rude about it. Xavier is very important to Daddy.’

Meggy glared at him. ‘You’re not my dad,’ she growled.

Elspeth was on her feet, striding between Fergus and the girl.

‘I don’t want to do this any more. I want to leave. He’s not my dad and he can’t make me say he is!’

‘Don’t get mad,’ Elspeth cooed at Fergus. ‘Meggy’s just upset. I’ll talk to her. I think that bringing someone else in just threw her off balance …’

Fergus took a single pace forward and shoved Elspeth sideways. She flew into the wall, smashing her head against the painting of the window. Its glass panes cracked in his mind.

‘You killed my friend, Danny,’ Xavier said. ‘Why did you do that?’

‘Forget about it,’ Fergus declared. ‘There is no Danny any more. I carried you up all those stairs, didn’t I? I brought you into my home. You were alone before. There was no one to look after you. Now you’ll have company all the time. My wife and my daughter will look after you, and I’ll visit. I wish you’d been at the wedding. You’d have been my best man. Imagine the speech you’d have made. Elspeth looked beautiful. But there’s still time. We’ll …’

Fergus shook his head. Everything was fuzzy inside his brain. Suddenly he couldn’t remember why they were all there.

‘You look tired,’ Elspeth said. ‘It must have been exhausting carrying Xavier up the stairs. Why don’t you go for a rest? You’ve earned it.’

‘I am tired,’ Fergus said.