‘How are you this morning, Rosamund?’ Finn asks, as she stretches her arms above her head, before making her way down.

She shakes her head. ‘Awful,’ she says. ‘I’ve barely slept. Is there any news?’

We all shake our heads. ‘We’re planning to call the police as soon as it’s light,’ Finn says.

‘A few of us can head towards the gate,’ I add. ‘Hopefully we’ll get a signal.’

‘I’m coming this time,’ she says, her voice rising.

‘Is that a good idea?’

‘I don’t care if it’s a ruddy good idea or not, Amelia. My stepdaughter is missing, and I’ll go mad if I don’t do something.’ She covers her face with her hands, and I get up and put my arm around her. ‘This is torture,’ she cries. ‘I need to call Neil. He needs to know.’ She turns from my embrace, and heads into the kitchen.

I glance at my watch, and up at my dad. ‘What time is sunrise?’

‘About seven.’

‘Well I need to pop back to our cottage and grab a change of clothes.’

‘You really shouldn’t go wandering off alone.’

I know he’s right. ‘But I need clean underwear,’ I say, and when Finn’s cheeks flush, I instantly wish I hadn’t shared my intentions with the room.

Dad looks deep into my eyes. ‘Don’t go alone, Amelia,’ he says. ‘I mean it. We have to be sensible – there’s a killer out there. I’ll come with you.’

*

It’s just after 7 a.m., and the sun rises in the pale sky. The wind has dropped, and it doesn’t feel as cold out as yesterday. The snow is keeping off.

Maddie and Rosamund still have power on their phones, and Dad’s and mine are being charged. We’ve agreed to divide into groups of three, without actually admitting we don’t trust each other. Dad and Maddie will stay at the cottage with Thomas. Rosamund, Finn and I will head off towards the main gate.

We exchange phone numbers, just in case we lose each other, and make our way across the snow. I’m glad not to be freezing to death. Dad and I picked up my holdall from our cottage earlier, and I’m now wearing an extra pair of socks and three pairs of leggings. I don’t want repeats of the last time I ventured out with Maddie.

Finn takes the lead, and is several yards in front of Rosamund and me.

‘Christ,’ he yells, as he reaches the ruins.

We hurry to catch up. A mask of a boy covers the face of one of the crumbling angel statues. I grab my chest. It looks so creepy, and is just like one of the masks the police found hanging in the woods the day after Lark disappeared.

Rosamund bursts into tears, and I freeze, unable to move.