The following afternoon I find Ven in the room assigned to the babies, with Toren. Ven uses a crutch to manoeuvre into his wheelchair and announces that he and I are going for a walk. As I turn the chair he reaches out and touches Toren lightly on the shoulder; I have to look away.

Once we’re outside I push him in his wheelchair, still holding his crutch, away from the university and into the barren countryside.

‘There’s a quarry not far from here,’ Ven says.

We carry on in silence along a road bordered by stunted hedges. I keep my eyes peeled for wild dogs or violent Wilderness types. No one is going to spoil this for Ven.

As we approach the gates of the quarry, I feel dizzy. I ignore it and keep on moving. I swing the gates open and put my back into pushing the wheelchair up the incline until Ven says, ‘Stop. You can leave me here.’ He gets slowly to his feet, using his makeshift crutch, and holds out his hand.

I take the revolver from my jacket and give it to him.

‘Since I’m trying out new behaviours, here’s another one for you . . .’ His lips twitch. ‘Thank you.’

I nod. My throat is dry. I want to tell him something comforting, but my mind is racing around in circles. I can’t think straight. I’m in such a heightened state of awareness that it’s almost too intense to keep breathing. He holds out a hand again and this time I shake it.

‘I’ll take this opportunity to have the last word, Blake.’ He smiles at me – the first real warm smile he’s ever given me. ‘Just remember, I’m always right,’ he says, and he shuffles away from me using his crutch.

I push the chair back down the slope and out of the gates, and I stand very still.

Ven fires the gun I handed him.