Moni was irked by Iman’s response. She lifted the bowl she was just about to wash and slammed it on the kitchen table under Iman’s nose. ‘Wash your own dishes!’

Iman, taken aback, rose from the table. ‘Don’t get upset. It’s not a big deal. It’s nothing. I can ask him for you.’

Moni picked up the bowl and put it back in the sink. She wiped the spot of soapy water that was on the kitchen table because of her outburst and, without saying another word to Iman, finished doing the washing-up.

For this mission, Iman decided to wear something practical. There were even more outfits in the cupboard now than when she had arrived. Or at least there were ones that she had not seen before. Whereas on her arrival, there was an abundance of princess dresses, flouncy skirts and beautiful colours, a more pragmatic mood was now on offer. There was a sailor outfit, a nurse, even an astronaut! Now she chose to wear the trousers and top that Jessie the Yodelling Cowgirl wore in Toy Story. Iman hid her hair under the big hat and allowed the belt to show off her waist. After leaving the cottage, she took her time, not on purpose but because she was distracted by one thing after the other. There was a squirrel, which took up a good ten minutes, a rabbit she knelt to stroke and flowers to sniff. The sounds that the frogs made held her attention. She listened as if she could understand what they were saying. Most of what they said were prayers. Prayers for food and mates. At the edge of the loch, she found a tree trunk that had been shaped into a seat. She must try it out. Beneath her, the water was shallow and still. Further on, it spread deeper, with the mountains on either side. This was the southern end of the loch where it flowed into the river or the river flowed into it – Iman wasn’t sure. She noticed the sound of the wind in the trees and how it ruffled the water. A duck with a green head was swimming quickly to the shore. Near Iman it waddled out of the water and she could see under the simple white chain around its neck and its smooth brown breasts, the pink webbed feet navigating the pebbles on the ground. She could lose herself in all these details, colours of placenta and milk. She could become of these things and need nothing else.