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She was keen to downplay the danger but Ned seemed fully aware of how close they’d all come to disaster.
‘Would they have come in time, though?’ he asked. ‘If you hadn’t come to find me and gone to call them? And if Arlo hadn’t spotted part of the cave roof was about to collapse and moved me to a safer spot, that rock would have hit us. Is he still here?’
‘No, he stayed until we knew you’d be OK but had to go home to Pongo. Jess is coming to collect me but I’ll stay until your sister arrives.’
‘There’s no need. I’ll be OK now. How did you know where to find me?’
‘You sent some random messages and a photo. When none of us could raise you, we were a bit worried. You hadn’t said whether you were going back to London or not so I went to the Bothy. You’d taken your rucksack but not your other stuff and it wasn’t a great leap to try the cave.’
‘Oh God, the messages. They were reminders for my writing. I suppose I replied to you and Wanda instead of sending them to myself. I was – a little caught up in the moment. I have no idea how you got the shot of the ground.’
‘I thought those were the explanations but couldn’t be sure. I didn’t dare risk it and when we weren’t able to contact you, and didn’t know your plans, I was worried.’ Katie decided not to tell him of her worst fears.
He sank back on the pillows. ‘I’m sorry. I should have told someone where I was going but I didn’t expect anything to happen.’
‘Why would you? That cave isn’t known for rockfalls. It was very bad luck.’
‘It’s been that kind of year.’
Katie swallowed. ‘I wanted this holiday to be perfect, a time for everyone to come together and relax, not end up in A and E.’
Ned smiled again and took her hand. ‘I know. The best intentions and all of that. To be honest, I went up to the cave in an intense mood, hoping to channel the misery I was feeling into my writing.’
‘Ned …’ Katie was gutted to have hurt anyone.
‘Don’t feel sorry for me!’ he said. ‘I wanted to revel in the isolation, wallow in my misery and feel all the feels, I suppose. Now that all seems like ridiculous self-indulgence. I have been so selfish, not letting go and following you here when you wanted peace and crashing your holiday.’
‘I think that, while it wasn’t the best timing, we did need to do this. We needed to have the conversation and feel the hurt. I needed to realise how unfair I’ve been.’
‘And I should have accepted that no means no and I have, Katie. I have.’
She sighed. ‘Ned, I’ve been thinking. You deserve to be the main character in someone’s life.’
‘You know me too well.’ He glanced at her fingers, gently stroking them. ‘And who’s the main character in yours? Is it Arlo?’
Her heart skipped a beat. ‘I hardly know him.’
‘Katie. Don’t try to con me, but most of all, don’t con yourself.’
‘I don’t know. He might be.’
Ned snorted. ‘That isn’t good enough – it wouldn’t be for me and I don’t think it will be for him.’
‘I’ve only just met him. Neither of us are ready for a relationship and it’s far too soon.’
He smiled weakly. ‘Some of the best things come when you least expect them.’
She stayed a while longer and then went to find some lunch. When she returned, Ned was fast asleep and letting out little snores. He’d have been mortified if he’d known. No one as cool and glamorous as Ned ever snored.
With that strangely comforting thought, she went outside the hospital to find Jess and Naomi walking towards her from the car park. Deep breaths, she thought as a wave of exhaustion washed over her. It was time to change the guard and hand Ned over to the care of his family.
‘I didn’t say anything to Ned about …’ Katie said to Jess on the drive back to the Island House. Greg had ferried Jess over to her car.
‘I never thought you would,’ Jess said.
She glanced at Jess. ‘You didn’t want to go and see him yourself?’
Jess paused before replying. ‘I did but I decided it wasn’t a good idea. His sister is with him now and I’d have felt like I was intruding. How was he? About you and him splitting up?’
