I turn to look. Trees silhouetted against the glass sway wildly from side to side. She is right. The island will be completely cut off if the weather gets worse. I have seen it before. I saw it the night we left.

‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ she announces, as if pulling herself together. ‘Have you eaten?’

‘No, and that’ll be lovely.’

Annie hesitates. ‘What brought you back, Stella? Tonight of all nights.’ The rain is lashing heavily against the pane like stones.

‘I went to see Danny,’ I tell her. ‘The police don’t believe he did it.’

‘Oh. I see.’

I try unsuccessfully to read the expression on her face before she wanders into the kitchen.

‘I don’t think he did either, Annie,’ I call to her as she fusses in a cupboard, pulling out a tin which she opens and pours into a pan. I lean back in the chair and turn to the bright orange flames flickering like ribbons in the fire. I’m unable to take much comfort from the warmth when the noise against the glass is so harsh. Rain knocks the window in a constant thud.

‘Danny is all everyone here is talking about,’ Annie says when she comes back in, a tray wobbling between her hands. She sets it down on the coffee table. ‘There’s soup and a roll. Help yourself.’

‘Thank you.’ I take a bowl and hold it on my lap. ‘I’m beginning to gather that. What are they saying?’

Annie sighs deeply. ‘Half the islanders don’t even remember him,’ she says, dipping her head as she slowly lifts her spoon to her mouth.

‘But you do,’ I say. ‘You must know he wouldn’t do something like this.’

Annie takes a sip of her soup and then drops her spoon back into the bowl, frowning. ‘Yet he confessed,’ she says.

‘But he had no reason to kill her.’ I’m certain the thought can’t sit right with her.

‘Yet he’s told the police he did it,’ she repeats, her eyes drifting up to meet mine, and as she holds my gaze I think she actually does believe him capable. ‘There are many people on this island who are glad for the fact,’ Annie goes on. ‘They have an answer. They know there’s no longer any threat, and if they see you back here, they won’t be happy, Stella.’ Her mouth flattens into a thin line as she hunches forward, her breaths short and quick. ‘I understand why you hope Danny isn’t guilty, but what do you think you can find here that the police haven’t already?’