He put his bare feet into his shoes, pulled a coat about him and perched for a second, heron-like, at the open door, looked out to sea, then with an exaggerated blink he went to the side of the house.

“This is all very civilized,” said Catherine.

“I’m glad to see you,” said Jack.

“This,” she said looking at her glass, “is wonderful stuff.”

Thady returned to the room and stood by the bed again with humorous shakes of the elbow, a small giddiness of the heel, and rose his goat’s brows, then his arms jigged the reins. Turning his shoulder blades like the obsolete wheels of a cart, Thady climbed into bed. Catherine stood up and went to the window. She rested her glass on the sill, sat on the further edge of Jack’s bed and looked out.

“The islands,” said Jack, “are in a different place every day.”

She watched the big shadowy sea. Men in oilskins torn at the thigh and the groin were standing on a table of rock against which the waves broke with a death rattle. Her body darkened the room. Silently, to the right, on the beach the water crackled across the sand, then fizzled out. For a long time she looked out till eventually she said, “It seems to me that the islands are leaving.”

Jack looked over her shoulder.

It became so clear that things not seen before came into view. Each stone on the beach seemed mere feet away. Cottages suddenly appeared. The sky was windy and blue, the earth white.

“You are right,” he said.

The dog began barking.

“That must be Josie, now,” said Jack.

Standing up, Catherine had to support herself against the wall.

“I think I’ll go,” she said.

“Wait,” cried Jack, “I’ll go with you.” And he pulled the bedclothes back.

“No,” she said stubbornly, “the fresh air will do me good.”

“If you want to go fishing with us,” said Thady, “how does tomorrow morning at six strike you?”

“That’s an unearthly hour.”

“We have to catch the tide,” said Jack.

“Take care, Missus,” Thady called after her.

When she stepped into the yard she felt her head going round. A small woman was coming down the lane talking to herself. The dog was running between the two women. The woman had a buttered face and ginger-stick eyebrows, huge lips and a tumbling fast stride. She was excusing herself for some misdemeanour.

Then, seeing Catherine, she said: “I beg your pardon.”

“Hallo,” said Catherine.

“Where did you get the beautiful eyes? And the beautiful hair?” Josie asked. “Some people are blessed.” Then, looking at Catherine carefully she added: “Yous have been at the bottle.”

“I’m afraid I have.”

“Will you be all right, love?”

“Yes,” said Catherine, blushing because she felt so tall.