‘Carys?’ she says. ‘They have a farm on the way to Dolgoed. Is there a babi coming you need help with?’

Yes! They know Carys! ‘No baby. I’m a relative. A sort of niece. I really need to see her tonight.’

‘What is it, Mam?’ A second woman appears, tying the belt of her dressing gown. She’s about my mum’s age and looks crunkle-faced and sleepy.

‘I’m very sorry to wake you,’ I say.

‘No matter,’ she says. ‘But who are you?’ She has black eyes and skin almost as white as the snow outside. She’s smiling, but doesn’t feel nearly as friendly as the old woman.

‘I’m Tulsi,’ I say.

‘She’s looking for Carys, she’s her niece or something,’ says the woman. She opens a little red book and picks up the phone from a table in the hall. ‘And she has a friend who needs help at a car accident. I better call Bryn.’

‘A relative of Carys’s?’ The young woman’s voice has taken on an unpleasant edge. ‘Is that right?’

‘Settle down, Bethan.’

‘Before you call anyone, Mam, I’d like to know a bit more.’ She narrows her eyes at me. ‘How did you get here? And why our house?’ She crosses to the window and looks out. I wonder if the fox is still there.

‘I walked here. My friend Pete is in the car, hurt. I’m worried he will freeze.’

‘Is that right?’ Bethan stares at me. ‘How do we know that’s true?’

What? Why doesn’t she believe me?

The old woman says, ‘Oh, Bethan. You need to get over this thing with Carys.’ But she places the phone back in its cradle and slips the little book into the pocket of her dressing gown.

If they’re not going to help me, I’ll have to find someone who will. I start towards the door, but Bethan gets there first and bars my way.

‘You can’t go outside in this weather. The storm’s not done yet.’ She locks the door and pockets the key. What is going on? My heart thumps in my chest. Who locks a stranger in their house?

The old woman beckons to her daughter. ‘Bethan, come and have a quick word.’ They go into the kitchen and half shut the door. I hear murmuring and then raised voices. ‘I don’t care what you think, Mam! I saw what I saw!’

I contemplate freezing them like I did the man in London, or breaking down the front door, but that could be a problem for Carys. How would she explain away a ‘niece’ who goes around paralysing people and destroying their house?