‘I feel as if I’m being baked.’
‘You look it,’ she said, leaning across to put the back of her hand to his face. ‘You’ve caught the Thimblebury plague?’
‘Looks like it, unless this is something different – and I really hope not because the last thing we need is another lurgy added to the mix. One bug for everyone to go down with is bad enough.’
‘I suppose it was only a matter of time. I’m amazed I haven’t caught it yet – I’ve been in contact with enough people who have or have had it.’
‘I hope you don’t.’
‘So do I because then there would be nobody to run the house and keep an eye on everyone.’
‘I didn’t mean that. I only meant because I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.’
‘Oh, I suppose there’s that too.’ She swung her legs out of bed and stepped into a pair of slippers. ‘I’ll get you some paracetamol and a warm drink. Don’t go anywhere.’
‘I couldn’t if I wanted to; my legs wouldn’t carry me. I ache all over, and I’ve got that skin thing…’
Zoe frowned as she fastened her dressing gown. ‘Skin thing?’
‘You know, when every little touch feels like someone scraping a Brillo pad over you.’
‘Right, that. If it’s any consolation, the worst of it doesn’t seem to last long – at least it hasn’t for anyone I’ve spoken to. You might only have twenty-four, forty-eight hours of that, and then you’ll just have the stuffy nose and dry throat.’
‘That’s something to look forward to then,’ he said as he dragged the covers up to his chin.
‘You’re cold now?’
‘I don’t know what I am. Can you take the day off?’
‘It’s good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humour.’
‘It was worth a try. It would have been nice to have you around.’
‘I know, and I’m sorry. If I could, I’d be here, but I’ve got a full clinic today and home visits and some urgent referrals to make, so…’ She shrugged, and he closed his eyes, covers clutched right up to his chin.
‘I know; it’s all right. I didn’t really expect you’d be able to stay home.’
Zoe was frantically switching on her computer when Lavender knocked and came in to put a mug on the desk. ‘I made it ten minutes ago thinking you’d be in, so it might be a bit cold. You could bung it in the microwave if it is.’
‘Thanks. Alex has gone down with this virus everyone seems to have – that’s why I’m late. I had to make sure everyone had what they needed before I left this morning.’
‘I’m sure you didn’t move in to nurse everyone, but I bet they’re glad to have you right now.’
‘They will be, as long as I don’t get it next. That would be our luck the way things are at the moment.’
‘Oh?’ Lavender raised her eyebrows and looked as if she might be settling in to hear more, but even if she’d wanted to go into it, Zoe didn’t have time.
‘I appreciate the drink – I’ll gladly knock it back whether it’s cold or not.’
‘People pay good money to have it cold in coffee shops,’ Lavender said with a shrug as she turned to leave. ‘I don’t understand the appeal, but what do I know? By the way, it shouldn’t affect you too much, just the rest of us, but Emilia is off today too.’
‘Ill?’
Lavender nodded. ‘One of us had to get the bug sooner or later – we’ve had enough patients come through the doors with it that I’m surprised it took this long.’
‘God, that’s all we need.’
‘That’s what I said. Simon is in, though he’ll have a lot on, of course, and Fliss said she’d help out.’
