I push the door open sheepishly, hoping Sean isn’t going to roar at me as soon as I get in. It’s all quiet.
The cottage is freezing. I open up the fire and put a match to a firelighter and some kindling. Then I throw in some turf and slide the kettle onto it. I pull the money bag out of my big waterproof jacket. I can’t put it off any longer. I push open Sean’s bedroom door.
He’s lying with his eyes shut. Peaceful. I step out of the room and go to pull the door to.
‘English!’ He stops me in my tracks. ‘You came back.’
‘Of course I came back. I wasn’t stealing the van. I just went to do the market.’ He still looks very pale and isn’t moving. ‘Here,’ I set the bag of money down next to him. There’s an untouched baguette by his bed and a bottle of Coke. He sees me looking at them.
‘Nancy brought me lunch.’
‘Right,’ I say, backing out of the room again. Nancy was checking up on her investment.
‘She wanted to agree the terms for the oysters,’ he says weakly.
I have to tell him, tell him that she’s stitching him up. I take a deep breath and wonder where to start.
‘At least this way I can get Jimmy Power off my back, eh?’ he says.
My courage runs out on me. How can I tell him what Nancy’s up to now? He’ll never believe me, I think hopelessly, and what good would it do? If Nancy pulls out, he’ll lose the farm to Jimmy Power. Whatever I think of Nancy and her plan, I have to put up and shut up, for Sean’s sake.
‘I’ll unload the van and then I’ll make my way back to the town.’
‘You can’t do it on your own.’ He looks up at me.
‘Is there a choice?’ I say, looking at him in bed. ‘Unless Nancy’s coming back to help?’
‘I just feel so useless!’ He slams his hands into the duvet. I don’t know how to make this better. He leans over for his drink and I pick it up and hand it to him. ‘Where are you staying?’ he asks.
‘In Rosie’s chalet,’ I say, wondering why I’m leaving out the important bit.
‘With Dan,’ he fills in.
I hear the kettle coming to the boil. I dip out of the room, go back into the kitchen and make tea and coffee and find some more painkillers.
‘Here, take these. I’ll finish up outside.’ I hand him the tablets.
‘Yes, Miss,’ he says, struggling to prop himself up, and I can’t stop myself stepping in and helping him. ‘I couldn’t find them,’ he says with an attempt at a smile. ‘Somebody keeps tidying up.’ He takes the tablets.
‘So how did it happen?’ I need to know if I’m responsible for this too. I put the glass of water back by his bed. He doesn’t look anywhere near ready to get up, and I have to get back to Dan, find out about the job. But as I’ve already left him waiting for nearly an entire day, I guess a little longer won’t hurt.
‘An accident, car crash.’
‘What, last night?’ I sit on the edge of the bed. He shakes his head.
‘Years ago. I’d just got out of prison. I was with my … fiancée.’
‘Nancy?’
He shakes his head again. ‘It was way before Nancy and I got together.’
‘Oh.’
‘I’d just got out of prison. We were out celebrating. Car hit us head on. I injured my back. It reoccurs every now and again.’ He looks into his lap.
And although I don’t really want to, I ask, ‘And your fiancée?’ He shakes his curls again. My eyes widen.
‘Died.’
