‘All right?’ said Renzo’s voice.

She lay on her back, looking up into the heavens, her heart thundering, while the universe fell into its right place again.

‘What happened?’ she gasped.

‘You slithered, but it’s all right now,’ he said in a reassuring voice. ‘Take a few deep breaths. No rush.’

‘I’m fine,’ she said, sitting up.

She began to get determinedly to her feet, accepting his support for a few moments. As they went on she put a brave face on it, but she felt shaken and it was a relief when Renzo said, ‘We’re not going so far today. There’s another hut soon up ahead. It’s not as grand as the one I was aiming for, but it’ll give us a much-needed rest.’

Mandy was desperately glad. Weariness had caught up with her and there was a pain in her leg where she’d scraped it as she’d fallen. At last the hut came into view. As Renzo said, it was basic, but comfortable.

In the bedroom, shared by four girls, Joan took charge of Mandy, helping her to undress and getting out her nightwear, a pair of pyjamas, consisting of a jacket and shorts, which revealed a long red mark down her calf.

‘Wow!’ Joan exclaimed.

‘It’s impressive, isn’t it?’ Mandy said, touching it gently. ‘It’s also sore.’

There was a knock at the door and Renzo’s voice said, ‘Can I come in?’

‘Yes, fine,’ Joan called.

‘Joan, Peter’s looking for you,’ he said, entering. ‘I think he’s planning a romantic tryst in the moonlight. Shall I tell him you’re not interested?’

‘Don’t you dare,’ Joan said eagerly and slipped away.

‘Let me have a look at that leg,’ Renzo said.

Mandy sat on the bed, swinging her legs up so that he could see the mark, and he seated himself, inspecting it critically and laying his hand over it.