She was wearing her pyjamas and lying in bed in a small room with wooden floorboards. The walls were blank except for one picture of an imposing mountain. Underneath the picture was the caption: Summer’s morning, the Cloud-Capped Mountain, Shobble.

That’s where Topaz was. Would they ever reach her? It already felt like weeks since they’d left Enrico’s mansion, when in fact it was only . . . this morning? Nicola looked out the window confusedly. Or was it a new day?

The door to her room burst open and in came Shimlara carrying a tray laden with food.

As Nicola pushed herself up to a sitting position Shimlara placed the tray on the bed in front of her and said, ‘How are you feeling?’

Nicola pushed back her pyjama sleeve and saw that there was a white gauze bandage wrapped neatly around her upper arm. Apart from a dull ache, it didn’t hurt much at all.

‘Barbie had to give you ten stitches,’ said Shimlara. ‘Luckily you were already unconscious.’

‘Where are we?’ Nicola picked up the spoon and began to eat something that looked like porridge and tasted of cinnamon and apple.

‘We’re at the Why Not Drop Inn,’ said Shimlara.

‘And we got here last night?’ asked Nicola. It was such a strange feeling knowing that all these things had happened around her. It was like falling asleep halfway through a movie.

There was a knock on the door.

‘Come in,’ said Nicola.

It was Barbie, in a freshly ironed pair of blue overalls with her siren strapped around her head. ‘I thought I’d check in on my patient.’

‘I’m feeling good,’ said Nicola. ‘Thank you very much for everything that you did.’

‘Let’s take a quick look at that bite.’ Barbie sat down on the bed. As she unwound the bandage from Nicola’s arm, she frowned.

‘Horatio!’ cried Nicola excitedly. ‘That’s what I was trying to say on the river bank!’

‘Pardon?’ said Barbie.

‘You just frowned exactly like a man we met in the Valley of High Hopes,’ explained Nicola. ‘His name was Horatio Banks. Could you be related to him?’

‘My surname is Banks,’ said Barbie slowly. ‘And my grandpa’s name was Horatio. He’s been missing for years.’

‘There was a fight,’ said Nicola. ‘About chocolate.’

‘That’s right,’ said Barbie. ‘My mother says it was so stupid. My grandpa slammed the front door and never came back. They looked for him for years.’

‘He thinks nobody has forgiven him yet,’ said Shimlara. ‘He’s just waiting in the valley for someone to go and find him.’

‘Oh! This is incredible. My grandmother will be so excited! I’ll have to go right now and tell her,’ said Barbie. She refastened Nicola’s bandage and stood up. ‘Thank you! The Banks family is greatly in your debt!’