Jerry called across the table to Charlie. He still spoke quietly but they all heard him: “ I need to see you some time this weekend about work. When would be best for you?”

“Meet me early,” Charlie said. “I like to see the tide coming in. I’ll be in the seawatching hide. I might see something good.” He beamed at them, humouring them in their interest. “I’m writing a new story now. I’ll have it with me. I’ll bring some chocolate. We’ll have a picnic.”

It was like an invitation to a party and Jerry smiled his acceptance.

Elizabeth served coffee in the common room. Charlie had gone, but all the observatory residents were there. They were discussing Charlie, his state of mind, his finances, Gillibry and the observatory. They seemed almost to be enjoying the excitement, the pleasure of the gossip. Elizabeth did not join them. She had put the big kettle on the stove to heat the water for washing up and was sitting, waiting for it to boil, when Mark came into the kitchen. It was a large room, impossible to heat and difficult to clean, with a stone floor and dusty corners, but Elizabeth liked it. Mark was the only guest she allowed in, without making him feel an intruder.

“I’ve come to help.”

She smiled at him gratefully. What a thoughtful boy he was. She threw him a clean tea-towel.

“What are they all doing?” she asked.

“They’ve decided to postpone the committee meeting, since neither Charlie nor John has reappeared. I suppose that Charlie has forgotten all about it. Pamela says that she’s going for a walk, but she’s still in the common room now. Jerry didn’t offer to accompany her. I think she was a bit put out, but she could hardly change her mind then. The doctor is going through the accounts so that he can convince Charlie that it would be impossible for the Observatory Trust to buy a bag of nails, never mind an island. Jasmine is bringing the log up to date and Nick is staring at the fire and coming to terms with the fact that his world is about to come to an end.”

“Isn’t that rather melodramatic?”

“I don’t think so. Since his mum died it’s all he’s got.”

“He’s never mentioned his mother.”

“She died a couple of months ago. She wasn’t very old. She worked for the Todds too, as a sort of housekeeper in one of the hotels. His dad died not long before she did. Nick’s always had a chip on his shoulder, though. He was never popular at school. But he’s come out of himself a lot since he’s been on the observatory committee.”

“Is that why you keep coming here? Because you feel sorry for him?”

“It’s one of the reasons. He’s always been a good friend to me.”

They had finished washing up. Elizabeth wiped over the table top and hung up the cloth. She felt very tired. She wondered if she should look for John, but decided that she could not face his anger or his misery. She wanted to escape from thought of the island sale with an easy book or some music. But first she must bring in more wood for the common-room fire. She felt a sting of resentment. While John was being sentimental out in the dark she was left with responsibility for the practicalities. Mark helped her to collect logs from the generator shed, and she opened the doors while he carried them through the building to the common room. When she first opened the common-room door she thought that no one was there. Then she saw Jerry and Pamela standing by the window. They were not talking but it was clear that they had been arguing. Pamela was dressed in outside clothes—she had changed again into trousers—and she was very angry. Mark murmured something about finding Nick and going to catch some waders. Elizabeth followed him out and thankfully escaped to the flat.