"His pulse is much stronger," said Paul Martin a few days later. "You have looked after him very well."

"It hasn't been easy."

"He's lost that cold body temperature, his skin's firmer and the swelling in his ankles has gone down. He already looks much better. His eyes are quite clear now."

"It is still a battle to get him to eat. And now he's stronger he's resisting more and more."

"He will do. He needs firmness but he also needs understanding."

"We try to give him both. Little Joe has spoken to him most."

"And how's he getting on?"

"Slowly. Honestly, Paul, that boy works miracles. Jamie hates his insides but he's talked more to Joe than all the rest of us put together."

Paul smiled. "Joe's always been a charmer."

"Well, he's not charming him, exactly! But Jamie at least speaks to him, if only to tell him how much he hates him."

"And what about you, Ben?"

"Oh, you know...I'm the monster. When I sit with him he turns his back on me. I can see him shaking and there's such loathing in his eyes I'd be dead a thousand times over if looks could kill."

"Fortunately they can't."

"He wishes they could, I expect."

"Any headaches, vomiting?"

"No."

"He's a lucky kid. That fall could have killed him."

"Joe said...Well, he said...He said he thinks he wants to die."

"That's what I told you, isn't it?"

Ben shook his head. "But I still can't understand why. He deserved that hiding, Paul. He was out of control."

"These problems will have been around for a long time, Ben. All his life, probably. They don't just spring up overnight."

"Hm."

"There's a sanatorium near Reno - "

"Reno?"

"Let me finish. It's a good place, not cheap, but good. I thought...well, with all your work, and the time and trouble Jamie's taking up...Well it might be an option."

Ben thought for a few moments then shook his head. "I have a duty of care to the boy. I promised Matthew I would look after him. Besides, he's family. He probably wishes he wasn't, but he is. And...well, I feel if we took him to a place like that, he'd think he was being rejected yet again."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say. And you're right, another rejection now would probably be too much. Even if it's by people he hates."

"Joe said he doesn't think he does hate us."

"Did he?"

"He said Jamie thinks he hates us. That we hate him. But that he doesn't."

"I don't envy you your task, Ben. But you're doing well with him. He really is in a much better state than a few days ago. I was worried when I saw his condition. He's stronger and he's obviously gained weight."

"Still no solids?"

"Not unless he'll eat voluntarily. You could try thickening the broth up a bit, more meat, perhaps some potatoes softened in the gravy. Physically he's doing as well as I could have hoped. Mentally, I'm not sure. It would be far too difficult to force feed him solids."

"I wish we didn't have to do it at all. We've all got nicks on our fingers from where his teeth have caught us. Sometimes I wish I could just force him to eat. Threaten to whip the skin off him if he doesn't."

"Ben, that'd be the very worst thing you could do."

"Yes, I know. But it makes you feel like it sometimes. When you think there are people around who face real hunger through no fault of their own. And here he is, on a whim - "

"He's ill, Ben, you must understand. He hasn't chosen this. It if had been a whim he might have done it for a couple of days but he could not have sustained it. You'd have found food missing from your kitchen. He'd have had to eat."

"I understand, Paul."