Chapter 113

• Abigail was taken to Cliff's place which he shared with his brothers. She was given a long hot bath while Cliff cleared his room and changed the sheets. He'd placed her overnight bag in his room and when she was ready to come out of the bath, he'd given her a couple of large towels and his own huge stripy dressing gown to use, slipped through the ajar bathroom door to maintain her privacy.
• She quietly emerged a while later saying she felt better but whacked and he told her she could sleep in his bed: he would be using the "guest bed". Abigail was too tired to question this, and just managed to gulp down a glass of milk and wolf down a sandwich hastily made by Cliff, before retiring for the night.
• She fished out her nightclothes from her bag and slipped them on in private before collapsing into his bed. Cliff came in shortly afterwards to tuck her in like a small child, giving her a tender kiss on her forehead, to which she was too exhausted to respond, before switching off the lights and leaving her alone to sleep.