Lauren’s throat burns with bile and she remembers she is dying to pee. ‘Look the other way,’ she says to Diane and crouches by a tree. As she does so, she sees part of a path up ahead that looks familiar. The best option they have is to try and retrace their steps. Lauren is so alert, she feels animal.

She shows Diane, who looks deep in thought. As they begin the long walk back in the dawn light, Diane says, ‘There was a plan. And it was all about finding out what happened to your mum.’

‘What do you mean?’ asks Lauren, but Diane walks ahead, silently. As Lauren walks, she thinks of the hermit, the sword.

Some time later, they are standing in front of Vairi’s front door. ‘Why?’ Lauren asks.

‘I don’t know, Lauren.’ Diane’s voice is hushed by the wind. After two hours walking in the heavy snow, they have found their way back to the village. It’s now after ten o’clock and she is ravenous and exhausted. Lauren can’t imagine what her teacher might think, or Kirsty for that matter. She feels a pang of shame.

Diane is speaking quickly and conspiratorially. ‘I don’t know what’s going on right now. That guy’s still alive back there. What’s he done with Ann-Marie? I’m telling the police. Show them that secret door. I’m going on Twitter with this. Everyone has to know. Vairi’s a better person for you to stay with. I mean, Kirsty’s off her head. Like I say. Angela’s gonna be absolutely ragin’.’ She touches Lauren’s shoulder. ‘I’ll tell them all you’re safe though.’ She goes to the doorstep to ring the bell and stops. ‘One more thing.’

Lauren’s aching head feels light. ‘Huh?’

‘D’you remember, you know – Ann-Marie says she was talking to you about … your mum? Do you remember that? Your mum? How it happened? Anything?’ Diane looks panicked.

Lauren searches for the answer Diane wants to hear, but nothing comes and she shakes her head. Diane sighs and rings the doorbell. Vairi appears, looking flustered behind the glass. Her dogs bustle at her feet.

‘You found her!’ Vairi chirps as the dogs burst out on to the crazy paving and start growling at Lola. ‘Get inside, girl,’ Vairi says to Lauren. ‘You’ve had us worried sick.’ She turns to Diane. ‘Kirsty’s having kittens. She feels terrible. I have to say I gave her a good talking to.’ Lauren feels enveloped by guilt. ‘So,’ Vairi continues, ‘how’d you find her?’

‘I was looking for Ann-Marie. In the woods at the back of mine.’

‘Is that right? She might have gone back to Edinburgh, do you think?’