That brought me to my senses. I needed to find my keys, and my phone. I picked up my bag and began hunting around in the scrubby bushes. I located my empty purse, my diary and the tampon, and was still scrabbling among wicked thorns, trying to find my keys and phone, when I heard a piercing three-note whistle in the distance. Duke’s head came up, he gave a single slow wave of his tail and barked in greeting. I recognised the whistle too. It was Micky. I scanned the horizon but couldn’t see him. He was probably still far away, his whistle carrying long-distance.

Duke began to lope off. He stopped at the top of the cairn and looked back at me uncertainly. The whistle came again. And with no further thought, my hero disappeared over the cairn and was lost to sight.

I continued searching painfully among the thorns, my fingers bleeding from repeated stabbings. I had to find my keys. I wanted to get off the moor, I wanted to go home. But more urgent than any of that was the need to ring Nick, to warn him that Vlad and Igor could be on their way. I had to find my phone. Happily, I located the dog whistle. I couldn’t be sure whether it was that, or all my screaming and hollering that had drawn Duke’s attention, but I didn’t intend to leave it behind.

‘Have you lost something?’

I looked up. A couple of walkers with woolly hats and backpacks were striding in my direction.

I put on a smile as they came towards me. ‘I dropped my bag and lost my phone … it’s here … somewhere,’ I added, looking around helplessly. ‘You don’t have a mobile on you, do you? Would you mind phoning my number?’

The woman had already produced her phone. I gave her my number and within a few seconds mine began to vibrate noisily among the yellow flowers of the gorse. We located it about three feet from where I’d been looking. Thank God, Vlad hadn’t torn out the sim. It would still work. We also found my keys. I thanked the couple profusely.

‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ the man asked, eyeing me doubtfully. I probably looked a wreck.

‘I’m fine,’ I responded, sucking blood from my finger. ‘I’m going home now. I think I’ve had enough of the moor for one day.’ Concerned, they wanted to stay and chat. I just wanted them to get going so that I could phone Nick.

‘Well, if you’re sure you’re OK …’

‘Yes. Thanks again.’ I waved at them and hurried away towards the van.