The pebbles are frozen solid as Dominica arrives at the beach. They feel weird to walk on and she laughs in surprise as she joins the others.

Helga is in a jolly mood, talking about an article she saw in the paper about some hardy types in Scotland swimming with an axe and breaking the ice to get in a freezing loch. This will be nothing in comparison, she says, as they head down. Dominica knows that Helga, with her lifetime of adventures, thinks they’re all a bunch of southern wusses, but even so, like Claire and Dominica, she’s made a concession to the weather and is wearing her bobble hat along with her costume.

Maddy is head-to-toe in her wetsuit and says she feels smug as she waits for them all to change. She opens up the chat on her phone and sees that Tor isn’t going to make it this morning.

‘You know, I was thinking…about Tor,’ Claire says.

‘Oh?’ Dominica asks.

‘I heard this thing on the radio,’ Claire said. ‘They’re looking to award community heroes. People who have made a difference in lockdown. Maddy and I thought we should nominate Home Help – and Tor in particular.’

‘That’s a great idea,’ Dominica says.

‘If I send you the link, can you both nominate her too?’ Maddy asks. ‘Only don’t say anything to her.’

‘Sure,’ Dominica says, glad that Maddy and Claire want to support Tor too. They clearly feel protective towards her, like Dominica does herself. She’d love the opportunity to do something to get Tor seen and appreciated. She’s a good woman. One of the best.

They talk about Tor’s upcoming charity swim in a couple of weeks and Dominica says she’s already promised Tor that she’ll do it. Maddy says she’ll come along to it too.

Perhaps she’ll be able to ask her colleagues in the office to sponsor her. Lord knows she’s been strong-armed often enough into their charity endeavours.

The water is icy cold as Dominica puts one foot into the retreating wave and Claire reaches out to hold her hand. Together, they walk in slowly and quietly, each of them concentrating. Helga is ahead and even she is slower than normal, getting used to the temperature. She scoops up water and pours it over her shoulders.

Dominica inches forward, her body trying to get used to the shock. She breathes slowly, meditatively looking out at the horizon. In the distance, two cormorants are flurrying around the surface of the water, their throaty call loud across the still water.

Waist-deep now and Dominica steels herself as her shoulders go under. It feels like swimming in mercury. Her body is buzzing as the blood rushes from her extremities.

‘I can’t believe I’m swimming in the snow.’ Claire leans backwards and opens her mouth to collect a snowflake. A few half-hearted ones are falling from the sky. Her eyes sparkle with wonder and Dominica knows what she means. Snow always can make anything magical, but in the water it feels even more special. It starts to snow more heavily now, a soft white blanket settling over the stones.