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‘Good heavens, Sam, who is?’

Edge looked up and his uncle’s question melted away

‘Edge Dear Lord My boy!’

Poppy wasn’t quite as tall as he, but he was a burly e in a vice, his bushy grey hair surprisingly soft against his cheek For asince he’d seen this h he’d been closer than a father to him How had he allowed so much time to pass?

‘Edge’ The one as a cracked whirabbed in Poppy’s considerable paws ‘What have you done to yourself, boy? You look disgraceful! And why did you not tell e is here!’

The last words were a belloorthy of a call to prayer froure hurtled into the roo handed around like a parcel, embraced, scolded, questioned He tried to keep his feet steady as he greeted everyone, but the roo to rey eyes were in front of hirip

‘When did you last eat, Edge?’

Eat?

‘This ’

His answer set off another bustle of activity, but at least it ay frolass of tea infused with mint was shoved into his hand It was so sweet it ht him food he ate and when they led him off to be bathed he went meekly

It was very strange, being home

‘The poor fellow is still asleep,’ Poppy announced as he entered the breakfast parlour and sat beside Janet

‘I know,’ Janet said as she handed him a small porcelain cup of bitter coffee ‘I couldn’t resist and peeked He looks better now he’s washed and shaved, but he’s too thin, Poppy You could cut stone with his cheekbones I’ve told Ayisha to prepare the lamb stew he loved as a boy’

‘Don’t fuss, Janet You know he hates it’

‘I never fuss’

Sae’s appearance had transfore Janet was lit from within, her move show of love when he’d ee, Poppy now appeared taller, more resolute

‘He isn’t ill?’ Saard yesterday she’d lain awake a long ti around a sickroom She knew desert fevers could be deadly