The driver slowed, left the engine running and nodded as Joseph climbed down to the road, swung the heavy door shut. He walked towards the coast through the dunes, following the wooden walkways overgrown by reeds and ragworts. Walkways that were a gentle reminder of how difficult this terrain was on foot. He would not go back north for a while. He needed to let the dust settle on his argument with the girl. He rounded the bend to see the cottage, clinging stubbornly to the cliff. He knew Nefyn wouldn’t have been frightened of the storm, but there was something about them that agitated her. He listened to the wind as it combed the reeds before walking on.

‘Nefyn?’

Nefyn lay on her bed. Her eyes snapped open. Then, Hamza’s voice, soft with alarm.

‘Nefyn!’ Joseph shouted again.

A scuffle. Nefyn jumped upright. Ran to open her bedroom door to find Hamza held by his collar against the doorframe. Joseph’s face incandescent with fear and rage.

‘It’s all right! It’s all right!’ she cried.

‘Who the hell are you? What have you done to her?’

Nefyn pulled at his arm.

‘What are you doing here?! Joseph! What are you doing here?! Leave him. He’s a friend. Leave him!’ Joseph’s eyes darted uncertainly towards Nefyn’s face. He was breathing heavily. ‘Please! Just listen. I didn’t think you’d be back!’ Nefyn pulled at his arm again. ‘Let him go!’

Joseph shoved Hamza backwards, ripping his collar. His breathing heavy. His agitation twitching in his arm muscles. Hamza held his hands open, submissive.

‘I’m sorry,’ Hamza said.

‘Where’s he from?’ barked Joseph. ‘What’s he doing here? These clothes … they’re mine!’

‘He’s my friend,’ Nefyn said, trying to steady Joseph’s eyes on her.

‘You don’t have any friends,’ Joseph shot back.

‘He came from the beach.’

Joseph’s eyes searched Nefyn’s face in disbelief, the only sound that of his ragged breathing.

‘What are you talking about?’

Hamza watched them, tried to appear small. Unthreatening.

‘He was hurt, I’ve been nursing him.’

‘But what does he want?’

‘Nothing, he just needs to get better.’

‘There are hospitals for that.’

‘No. Nobody can know he’s here.’

Joseph shook his head in disbelief.

‘Please, I know this is difficult. I’m from Syria, I was being held, I just need to get home.’

‘Who knows he’s here?’ Joseph asked again, his mind turning.

‘No one.’

‘They’ll be looking for him, Nefyn. What does he know?’

‘Nothing!’ Nefyn stepped nearer to him, lowered her voice. Placed her hand on his arm. ‘Please, Joseph.’

‘No! This is none of our business. If they come here … We don’t need them coming here, Nefyn.’

‘We have to help him.’

‘No.’

‘Let me help him, Joseph!’