Gideon was silent for a few moments, until I felt a tentative hand rest on one of mine. I twisted my hand around to clutch his fingers.
‘Did I tell you that I’m visiting a local nature reserve with a new colony of beavers?’ he said, which was about the most perfect way to distract me.
I lowered my hands from my face and we began walking through the trees towards the fire pit. ‘Tell me more.’
‘I probably won’t see any, but the ranger will show me how they’re improving the local habitat.’
By the time we’d reached the boot-room door, I’d heard all about Gideon’s dream to reintroduce beavers to Riverbend, and the positive ways they could impact the environment. The previous panic had deflated to a twinge of disquiet.
‘Maybe… maybe if you do, I can come back to visit some time and you can show me their dam.’
‘Camp out by the river and see if we can spot one?’
‘Sounds good.’
He kissed me goodnight.
‘It’s a date.’
* * *
On Thursday, the Gals arrived much earlier than usual, bearing a Chinese takeaway and a bottle of wine.
‘Don’t worry,’ Kalani said, starting to unpack the cartons. ‘The booze is for once we’ve finished the blubbering.’
‘What’s all this?’ Hattie said, wandering into the dining room in paint-splattered jeans and her usual grey top. ‘Therapy is at seven. And unless my phone is broken, it’s only six.’
‘It’s dinner. We arranged it on the Gals WhatsApp.’ Deirdre frowned at her. ‘Soph invited us.’
‘I don’t think I read those messages.’ Hattie squinted at her phone.
‘We assumed you and Sophie would have spoken about it,’ Laurie said. ‘We agreed it on Monday.’
‘Sorry.’ I pretended to be embarrassed, but this was the perfect chance to bring up Hattie’s health. ‘We’ve not had a chance to speak properly this week.’
‘Haven’t you been working on the project?’ Deirdre asked.
‘Hattie’s been creating some new designs, and, well, she’s not been feeling great so we haven’t been eating dinner together, either.’
‘Not feeling great?’ Three women instantly spun towards Hattie, scrutinising her pale skin, sunken eyes and limp ponytail.
‘Phooey.’ She waved a half-hearted hand at them. ‘You Gals know what I’m like when the inspiration starts flowing. It won’t be interrupted with trivial matters like food and sleep.’
‘Or a shower.’ Kalani winked.
‘Not when I’m overdue on a deadline!’
‘Well, I hope a takeaway will be a good chance for you to stop and refuel,’ I said. ‘Sorry, Hattie, I thought you’d read the messages.’
‘At the risk of sounding like Kalani, you do look like crap,’ Laurie said, once we’d loaded our plates and started eating.
‘Thank you for pointing it out.’ Hattie sat back, the tiny strand of noodle dangling off her fork quivering.
‘You’ve lost weight,’ Kalani said, the soft concern in her voice catching everyone’s attention. ‘And you were a skinny little thing already.’
‘It’s not just that,’ Laurie said. ‘Your posture’s changed. Like you’re curling in on yourself. It’s how Dad looked when his bowels were bad.’
‘So, now you’re comparing me to your elderly dad with bad bowels?’ The noodle slipped off her fork.
