They all heard the footsteps coming down the stairs, Foley rounding the corner a moment later. He was wearing a pair of orange board trousers, hanging low on his hips – quite possibly the ones Beau had worn the other day – and a grey thermal base layer.

His gaze went straight to her and Johnny sitting opposite, against the far wall, training the camera’s cyclops upon him. He didn’t so much as break stride at the sight of them but she saw the anger ripple through his eyes as he passed by. Last night’s apology felt like a distant, distorted dream.

‘Bro,’ he said, slapping his brother on the shoulder as he went straight to the table. ‘You went hard last night.’

‘We had some celebrating to do,’ Beau said, looking up from his breakfast and meeting Kit’s hand grip.

‘It was only a training session.’

‘No. It was a sign of what’s to come. Mikey was so pissed.’

‘Don’t know why. He landed it. I didn’t.’

‘You didn’t try. But you would’a and he knows it.’ Beau shook his head and laughed. ‘You threw down the gauntlet, man. You’re coming to get them and they know it. They act pissy to you now but just like on the water, they’re all gonna have to fucking bend the knee to you.’ Beau was jabbing his finger excitedly.

Kit gave an amused grin and Clover realized it was the first time she had seen him so much as smile. ‘Well, that I’d like to see.’ He slapped Beau’s shoulder and sat down at the next chair beside him, pointedly offering his back to the camera.

The first snub of the day.

Clover didn’t care. ‘Did you get that?’ she whispered to Johnny.

He nodded, and she sat back and smiled. It was the first bit of decent material they’d shot.

‘. . . gone on to Saas-Fee,’ Ari was saying.

‘Oh yeah?’ Foley sat back in his chair as Carlotta again came over with the coffee and his daily protein shake. ‘Thanks, Carly.’

Carly? Was the nickname a flirtation? Or a sign of affection? Either way, Clover was sure the housekeeper was blushing on her way back to the kitchen. Johnny nudged her foot with his. He’d seen that too.

‘. . . be lots of eyes then. We’ll have to be careful what we show them.’ Foley had lowered his voice but she knew the mic was picking it up.

She watched Ari catch Foley’s eye and tilt his head warningly in their direction but Foley just shrugged with his usual contempt and looked out of the window. The sky was hanging low and soft today, blocking the mountains on the far side of the lake from view and setting the town in gloom. ‘The light’s pretty flat out there,’ he muttered, clasping his hands behind his head and stretching.