Tristan gave John a genuine smile at the friendly joke. It was just what he needed right now to regain some sense of normalcy. "I suppose my hosting today's not so bad after all, then."

Carrying the clothes and washbowl, he disappeared behind a dressing screen. "I feel more pain than I've ever felt, if you must know the truth. I'll take an anaesthetic in a bit. Just want to get out of these clothes and get cleaned up first. But if you'd like some, there's a bottle in the cupboard on your left. There's a glass there too. Help yourself." Then several ungentlemanly words escaped his lips as - having sat down - he bent forward to take his shoes off and pain shot out through his body from his ribs.