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‘Must be all the storms before Christmas. The fells are still waterlogged.’

‘We need to evacuate everyone ASAP.’

Someone draped a foil blanket around Katie’s shoulders and asked if she was injured.

‘No. I’m f-fine.’ She didn’t tell them she was shaking with shock.

A tall figure strode out of the cave mouth. Arlo’s hair was soaked, his face streaked with mud and blood and he looked beaten down.

‘Arlo?’ Her heart thudded. ‘Ned? Is he still …?’

He reached her, breathing hard. ‘H-he’s still conscious but he’s not great. The doctor’s giving him pain relief and they’re packaging him into the stretcher. They’ll have to carry him to the playing field in the village.’ He looked at the rain. ‘It’ll be a tricky journey but they’re used to it.’

‘I thought – when I heard that crash and the shouts …’ She shuddered, unable to voice what she’d thought. ‘What – happened?’

‘A near miss.’

Katie shuddered. ‘How near?’

‘Don’t ask.’ He put his arm around her and she wanted to stay there forever. Maybe they would all come out of the situation after all.

He let her go. ‘Come on, let me take you back home to warm up and get some dry clothes.’

‘I don’t care.’

‘It could be a long night and you don’t want to be soaking wet at the hospital.’

‘Yes. I suppose so. I’ll have to call the others and Ned’s sister. His parents are on holiday abroad.’

‘The MRT will do that,’ Arlo said. ‘I’ll take you to the hospital when we find out which one.’

He paused and put his hand to his mouth. ‘I – I’m sorry. Excuse—’

Swallowing back the rest of the words, he staggered off out of sight. Katie was petrified he was going to collapse until she heard the distant retching and realised he’d gone to be violently sick.

Dawn broke and Katie yawned and stretched, having spent a very rough night in hospital corridors and waiting rooms with a string of New Year’s revellers in various sorry states.

She didn’t care. The main thing was Ned and Arlo were going to be OK, although being stretchered off the hillside and airlifted to hospital in a coastguard helicopter couldn’t have been fun for poor Ned.

The bad news was that he had fractured his tibia, although nowhere near as badly as they’d feared. She still felt sick when she remembered the blood after they’d lifted the slate from his leg. He’d need a cast and then a leg brace but would probably avoid surgery.

Once Arlo was sure Ned was out of any danger, and that Jess would collect her, Katie persuaded him to go home. Katie had also spoken to Ned’s sister, Naomi, who was on her way from London and should arrive later that afternoon.

Explaining to Naomi why he was in the Lakes at all had been tricky because Naomi had automatically assumed they were back together, so Katie had fudged it and said he’d come up for research. What Ned decided to tell his family was his business.

Ned was finally feeling well enough to talk and was sitting up in bed in a side room. When she entered, he was scrolling through his phone, looking pale and exhausted but still like the handsome rakish Ned she’d once fallen in love with. Her heart filled with relief and gratitude that he was still here and still in her life, even as a friend.

He glanced up and smiled when he saw her, his eyes lighting up.

‘Dare I ask how you’re feeling?’ she asked.

‘Battered, bruised and on some great drugs.’ He treated her to his lopsided grin. ‘I hate to say it, but you look worse than I feel.’

Katie took a chair, relieved to see the old Ned returning. ‘I’ve had better nights.’

Ned pushed his phone away. ‘I think it’s time I thanked you for – well, saving my life.’

‘We only did what we could. Arlo was there. I couldn’t have lifted the rock off your leg without him and the Mountain Rescue would have come anyway.’