‘Not a lot. She just cried.’
My heart sank. That wasn’t Kate at all, she must be in a bad way. ‘When can I speak to her?’
‘She’s asleep now. But I’m coming back at six for visiting time. I’ll call you then, so you can speak to her. Don’t worry, Olivia, she’s OK, physically. Obviously she’s very upset.’
‘Seriously, Bill. Is she really OK or is she in a state?’
He took a deep breath. ‘Olivia, I’m not going to lie. She’s very emotional, understandably. Very tearful and clingy. But I’ll look after her. I promise.’
‘Thanks, Bill.’ I sniffed.
‘I’ll call later,’ and with that he hung up.
There was no way I could get back to sleep after that. Poor Kate. Always so self-sufficient. Thank God Bill had gone straight out.
I felt so much better knowing that she had someone with her. He would look after her. Despite that reassurance, I still couldn’t get back to sleep. I tossed one way and then another, plumping my pillows but it was no good. I had to get up.
Some sixth sense stopped me screaming the house down when a gruff voice said from the sofa, ‘Olivia.’
‘What are you doing?’ I whispered, my heart leaping into my mouth, relived to see Daniel.
‘Trying to get some sleep on this very lumpy sofa. Didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘That’s all right then, if you didn’t mean to,’ I said, as he pulled me down next to him, putting an arm round me. ‘Thought you’d be with Emily,’ I said tentatively.
‘What? Sleeping with her?’
‘Not in the physical sense. How d’you get out of it?’ I asked, ‘Oo your hands are cold.’
‘So would you be without a blanket.’ He was still fully dressed but had pinched my winter coat from the rack in the hall. ‘Said there was something on TV I wanted to watch. I was going to pretend that I’d fallen asleep here. Don’t suppose you fancy warming me up a bit?’
‘Yes. There’s a spare blanket...’ I teased, half-standing.
He pulled me back. ‘Don’t you know body heat is the most effective in preventing hypothermia,’ he murmured in my ear, hot breath teasing my neck as his hands slipped round my waist and up under my top.
‘Hypothermia. It’s summer,’ I replied squirming as his cold hands smoothed their way up my back. They might have been cool but everything else was warming up nicely.
Despite that I was finding it very difficult to relax. The spine that Daniel was so confidently stroking was remaining resolutely ramrod.
After a while Daniel shifted, pulling me round to face him.
‘Not having second thoughts, are you?’ he asked, looking into my face.
‘No, just scared Emily might come out.’ In response he put an arm around my shoulder and we sat there in the dark with the moon shining in through the window. It was probably at least ten minutes before either of us spoke. Even my brain had slowed to enjoy the quiet closeness. I’d missed this, the easy companionship of being with someone else without having to talk, no gaps to fill, no uncertainties to question.
‘Don’t drop off, sweetheart, you need to go back.’ It was the third time he’d called me that, and yes, I was counting. It sent such a shot of sheer joy through me. I muttered sleepily at him, too content to find words.
‘Come on, I can feel you drooping, it’s been quite a day, all in all.’
I sighed. ‘Do I have to? I like it here.’ I would have quite happily stayed there forever, hang the consequences.
‘Yes, you do. Remember you work and live with Emily,’ he said, quoting my words back to me. ‘I was planning on hanging around in the morning, I have to speak to her tomorrow. Knock it all on the head.’
‘You know, Daniel,’ I said hesitantly. ‘I’m not sure that she’s going to be too upset.’
‘Really,’ he asked turning his chin, bumping my head. ‘Sorry, that sounds big-headed. Do you think she knows?’
I shifted, looking up at him. ‘No, let’s just say I have an inkling your replacement’s already been lined up.’
