‘I can’t believe that you’re here in France. Sister Dominique tells me that you arrived before Christmas and you’ve been to see me every day.’

‘Don’t exhaust yourself by talking, Piers. Save your strength and as soon as the doctor says it’s safe for you to be moved you can come to the Château Gris to recuperate before we take you home.’

He pulled a face. ‘You make me sound like a helpless infant.’

‘You will be very weak, but we’ll soon rectify that. Hester is here with me and Alex is at the château, too.’

‘They tell me he broke his leg when his ship was wrecked. I don’t remember any of it, Rosie. My memory is a complete blank.’

‘Perhaps that’s just as well. It must have been terrible, but you’re safe now and I’m here to make sure you continue to progress well. I have so much to tell you, but perhaps not now.’

He closed his eyes. ‘I am a bit tired, but I do want to hear it all.’

Rosalind glanced over her shoulder as Sister Dominique entered the room. ‘I think the sister would like me to leave you, but I’ll come back later.’ She leaned over the bed and kissed him gently on the lips. She left the room hurriedly, unable to look Sister Dominique in the face as a feeling of guilt assailed her, and as she left the hospital to cross the street she kept telling herself that she loved her husband. What she felt for Alex was a passing fancy brought about by the situation in which they found themselves. The two brothers were so different from each other that it seemed impossible for her to be torn between them. Alex was her old love, but Piers was her husband and her future, and when they returned to Devon everything would be as it was before.

She was met by Alex, who had managed to get as far as the entrance hall on his crutches. He came to a halt, balancing precariously on one leg and a crutch. ‘Look at me, Rosie. I’m walking again.’

‘So you are.’ Rosalind smiled in spite of everything. ‘Don’t overdo it, Alex.’

‘You know me: I won’t give up until I can run a mile on these wretched things. Well, perhaps not a mile, but I can move about without too much difficulty. It’s a start.’

‘Piers is much better,’ Rosalind said hastily. ‘He was able to talk to me quite rationally, and the doctors are very pleased with his progress.’

‘That’s excellent. I might hop over to see him in a day or two.’ He chuckled. ‘Don’t look at me like that, Rosie. I’ll be sensible, but seriously, I am glad my brother is on the mend.’