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He flinched as if she’d just thrown so that he hadn’t even considered

Ever He’d spent the first year after Esther had died wrapping his son in cotton wool, worrying about every ht his worst-case scenario had always been about so to him

He stood for a second, not quite sure how to respond, and then he just started walking, lengthening his strides as he hurried to reach the nursery

All of a sudden he had to set eyes on his son again He’d already paid a quick visit at lunchti sure he was settled and happy in his new nursery school But that had been five hours ago

Lien walked in short, brisk steps alongside hi to keep up she didn’t complain

‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered ‘That came out a bit’

‘Wrong?’ He raised his eyebrows

‘Direct,’ she countered

‘Is crime around here really that bad?’ he asked His brain hirring He’d read a lot about Vietnah most of what he’d read had been health related He couldn’t re about crime

‘No,’ she admitted ‘Hanoi isn’t any worse than any other major city But home visits by doctors are just not done here Particularly when the doctorout ot about, it could be dangerous for you, and for anyone around you’

He wasn’t happy ‘So you exaggerated?’

She pressed her lips together ‘I protected my staff,’ she said

‘Then as at the bottom of the stairs?’

‘So Mai Ahn and I know theency treat or stab wounds’

The flare of anger abated Maybe she hadn’t been exaggerating after all ‘Surely they wouldn’t hurt you, then?’ he asked carefully

Her gaze met his ‘But they would probably hurt you,’ was her reply

He sed It seeet to know this city a little better In Glasgow even the worst kind of people would generally leave a doctor alone Most people had athat they would likely need help froood friends had been assaulted and his bag stolen when he’d been visiting a terminally ill patient, so it did happen

She sighed and put her hand up, tugging her ponytail band fro it out ‘Sorry, headache,’ she explained ‘They probably wouldn’t hurt you But the truth is I do know the, and so to prove’

‘So you were erring on the side of caution?’

She gave hi for hiain as they approached the international school ‘I’ to scare you off This is a fantastic city But like all cities, there is good and bad, and until you fa of the language, can you try not to get into trouble? Believeto check on you’

She was trying to pretend the words were light-hearted but he could sense the sincerity behind theive me five minutes?’ he asked

She nodded and waited outside as he went in to collect an excited but tired Regan, getting a full report from his teacher

He walked back out with Regan in his ar success,’ he said with a san had had a good day always ht to tell theood, and he knew they’d be relieved too

‘Tell you what, let me try and make amends How about I buy you dinner?’

Lien looked a bit surprised ‘Dinner?’ she repeated

He nodded and looked around ‘You choose Soet to the ht Show us soular basis’ He raised one eyebrow ‘Familiarise me with the area’