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But, there was always the chance it could be something medical. There were only limited medics in the village, and after the last couple of days it was clear that anything could happen.

But she hesitated for too long, and the call ended. She shrugged and threw the phone on the bed. If it was something urgent, he’d call back or leave a message. She stared at the phone as, sure enough, it lit up again, flashing and bouncing with its eagerness to be answered.

With trembling fingers, Liv answered the call, hoping that her voice was steadier than her hand. ‘What is it?’

‘Livvy!’ Sarah’s voice was too high-pitched and Liv’s heart squeezed painfully. She hated herself for upsetting the little girl she’d fallen as much in love with as her father, but Callum had made it clear she had no place in either of their lives.

‘Hi, Sarey-fairy.’ She tried to keep the sadness from her voice. If she could just make it through this call, then she could climb into bed, pull the covers over her head, and let herself cry until some of the hurt escaped. She’d had enough of being brave. Then, tomorrow, she could drive away and hope that the pain wouldn’t follow her back to London.

‘Livvy, you have to come.’

Liv’s blood ran cold at the panic in Sarah’s voice. ‘What is it? What’s wrong? Where’s your dad?’

‘He fell, Livvy. Off the ladder.’

Liv’s heart leapt into her throat as she scoured the room for her keys. ‘Where are you, Sarah? Are you at home?’

‘No. The surgery. Livvy, please come. Please. Daddy won’t open his eyes. I think he might be very very hurting.’

‘I’m on my way.’ She grabbed the keys from where they’d landed on the floor. ‘Now, are you near your dad?’

‘Yes.’

‘This is very important.’ Liv raced down the cottage stairs. ‘Is Daddy breathing? Can you see his chest moving?’ She held her breath and silently prayed as she waited for the vital answer. The world couldn’t be so cruel as to hurt Sarah again, not after what she’d been through already. But, Liv was a doctor, and knew only too well how unfair things could really be.

‘Yes.’

Liv’s breath exploded in a rush as she pulled the cottage door shut behind her and zapped her car unlocked. ‘That’s good, Sarah. That’s really good.’ She slammed the car door, shoved the key into the ignition, yanked the handbrake off and rammed the accelerator down. ‘Is there any blood you can see?’

‘No.’ Her voice was incredibly small sounding to Liv.

‘Daddy’s going to be fine, Sarah, I’m sure of it. You’re being so brave right now. I’m on my way.’

‘You promise you’re coming?’ Sarah begged. ‘Promise promise?’

‘Yes.’ Liv took a corner too fast and had to force herself into a level of calmness and focus. It wouldn’t help Callum if she dumped her car in a ditch or had an accident herself. ‘I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. That’s no time at all, OK?’

‘K,’ Sarah’s voice sounded muffled and seconds later the call was replaced with static.

Liv swore, cursing the poor signal in the area. She longed to call Sarah back, but she didn’t dare take her hands off the wheel long enough to unlock the phone on the windy country roads, and she couldn’t pull over either. Instead she gunned the car harder and screeched around the next corner, her heart thumping in her ears. She’d been in plenty of emergency situations before and knew how important it was to stay calm under pressure. Usually the adrenaline that was sending her heart into overdrive was useful to her — it sharpened her reactions and senses — but today, when it was Callum in trouble, her hands shook and white-hot panic clouded her mind.

She had to stay calm, get to him, and make sure he got whatever help he needed. Nothing else mattered. She could go back to being hurt and angry after that.

She screeched to a halt in the surgery car park and raced to the door, not even bothering to turn the engine off. She flung the door open and came face-to-face with Sarah, waiting in reception . . . and giggling nervously.

‘Please don’t be angry, Livvy.’

‘I’m not angry, sweetie. Where’s your dad?’ Now that she could see Sarah was OK, her focus was entirely on Callum.

‘I didn’t want to fib, but Daddy said it was OK, just this once.’ Sarah giggled again, and tried to hide the laughter behind the huge bunch of flowers she was holding.

‘What are you talking about, Sarah?’ She looked down at the little girl, and finally took in the pretty princess dress she was wearing and the flowers cradled carefully in her arms. She looked around the room, and stared at the petals on the floor in confusion. ‘What’s going on? Is your dad OK?’

‘Yup.’ Sarah nodded cheerfully, and pushed the flowers into Liv’s arms. ‘These are for you, and I’m sorry for fibbing. Wait here, K?’

‘But your dad’s really OK?’

‘Yes,’ Sarah replied with a small huff and a level of complete exasperation that only a six-year-old could manage. ‘Promise to stay here.’ She stared at Liv in wide-eyed expectation.