Paul looked at Bourne. Without a word they left the lounge. The dining-room was empty. From the kitchen the voices of Ann and Carol could be heard. The men crossed to the sideboard. Paul picked up the bottle of Grouse whisky and froze as he registered its weight.

‘Empty.’

Bourne lifted the bottle of Gordon’s gin.

‘This is also empty.’

They returned to the lounge with the bottles. Meredith did not seem surprised.

‘They were almost full last night when I poured our nightcap. You’ll remember we emptied the previous bottles and just started on these.’

Cliff Swanson rubbed his chin. ‘You really think this’ – he indicated the liquid spilled on the floor – ‘came from them?’

‘I do. The only other explanation is that we have a secret drinker who emptied the bottles last night. But that still leaves this.’ He pointed to the pools.

‘But why?’ Hunt almost yelled the question. Meredith frowned.

‘No idea. And if you ask “how?” I can’t answer that either.’

‘But this is ridiculous,’ Bourne snapped. ‘It’s a trick! It must be a trick of some sort.’ He raised his head, glared around him. ‘Well, I’ll get to the bottom of it. I’ll beat it yet!’

He whirled as Pollard and Smith re-entered the lounge. ‘Well, did you find anything?’

‘No. What about the water. Is it still coming in?’

Meredith showed Pollard and Smith the empty bottles. The two men tested the liquids for themselves.

‘Extraordinary,’ Pollard commented. Smith sniffed.

‘The place smells like a brewery. What a waste. Do you think whatever it is is going to spoil all our booze this way?’

Paul thought Meredith’s mask of concern was well beyond what one might have expected over the loss of a couple of bottles of whisky and gin, even in such bizarre circumstances. It was almost as if he was worried sick about something else, something he did not want to voice.

‘I don’t know,’ he muttered. ‘What I do know is that after lunch we should dig out the vehicles and stock them with fuel, food, blankets and some of our clothes.’

Pollard, whom he seemed to be addressing, narrowed his eyes.

‘You speak as if you expect us to have to leave the house.’

Meredith drew in a deep breath.

‘I don’t know. But I think it could come to that.’

Bourne snorted.

‘What absolute rubbish! Meredith, this scaremongering must stop. It’s – it’s – ’ He looked exasperatedly at him. ‘What on earth could happen to drive us from the house? I suppose you’ll be saying next we should leave now and huddle together in the cars.’

‘No. I appreciate that common sense says we should remain where there’s shelter, food and warmth. But at least let’s have places we can go to, as a last resort.’

Pollard’s grey eyes examined his face keenly.