Marie starts the engine and sets off along the avenue. The closest dog has decided to lie down, pressing against Anna. She can feel its breath on her leg. It’s almost completely dark outside. The rain is hammering on the roof, and the wind tugs at the car from time to time, causing it to veer across the road. Anna raises her head in an attempt to orientate herself, but one of the dogs immediately growls. Lisa whimpers quietly, her heart beating in time with Anna’s. Marie turns left onto a familiar dirt track. She is driving slowly, and after a while another vehicle catches up with them – Bruno, in Anna’s hire car.

Bruno and Marie park outside Tabor and unlock the front door with the key they’ve taken out of her jacket pocket. They don’t bother guarding the two women, because there is no need. As soon as either of them moves or speaks, the dogs start growling. Their jaws are at the same height as Anna and Lisa’s faces, so close that they can feel their breath.

After a while the windows steam up, and they can’t see what Bruno and Marie are doing. Lisa has slumped down, and barely reacts when Anna gently presses her left knee against her side.

‘Don’t give up,’ she whispers. ‘We’ll get through this. Everything’s going to be OK.’

The door opens and the dogs raise their heads.

‘Out.’ The animals instantly obey Marie’s command and sit down at her feet, their eyes fixed on Anna and Lisa.

Anna looks over Marie’s shoulder and sees that Bruno has spread a tarpaulin in the boot of her car. He is in the process of transferring two large bales of hay into the porch. Marie follows her gaze.

‘I believe it’s possible to find evidence of accelerants and petrol after a fire?’ she says. ‘I’ve seen it on TV.’

Anna chooses not to respond. Marie is right, of course. Petrol and other accelerants leave chemical traces. Hay, however, is organic material, and will leave very little behind.

‘OK, let’s get this over with.’ She waves the gun, but Lisa doesn’t react. ‘Move, or I’ll ask the boys to help.’

Anna gives Lisa a gentle push, and they clamber laboriously out of the car. The drive was short, but their bodies are stiff, and Lisa is clearly in pain.

Marie waves the gun again. ‘Up to the chapel.’

Anna considers her options. She is fairly close to Marie and might be able to grab the gun, but one look at the dogs tells her that they would immediately attack. The thought of being bitten is almost worse than the prospect of being shot.

‘Hurry up!’