Swimming looked so easy, so graceful. On television, she watched people dive, their bodies curving like commas and then they flicked through the water so fast. So little effort. For her, it had always been nothing but effort, which then quickly turned into panicked flailing, and chlorine water up her nose making her brain sting.

‘See them?’

Thea could make out things that looked like smooth grey rocks, which ducked in and out of the water, as if playing whack-a-mole on their own. Maybe they were seals. Or maybe they were rocks being dunked by the waves.

‘Yeah.’

Ethan looked at her. ‘You don’t, do you?’

Thea squinted. ‘Not really.’ She laughed. ‘But that’s probably my fault. I never seem to spot, y’know, nature stuff when people point it out. Y’know, they go “Oooh, look over there, at that lesser-spotted whatsit” and I look and I can never see it. Then it’s gone. Sorry.’

‘Ah well, it can be tricky sometimes.’

It was quite sweet that Ethan took the time to help her, trying to point out the seals. They stood companionably for a while, watching the gulls swoop as if rehearsing an aerial show, screeching to each other and squabbling on the cliffs. They had taken the path that climbed upwards. The wind had become stronger now, no more playful bumps and nudges. Its mood had darkened and it roared in Thea’s ears, trying to get under her jacket, tangling her hair and whipping it into her eyes so they watered.

‘Thanks for letting me come,’ Ethan said, not making eye contact.

‘That’s okay.’

‘I think I needed a break from the place, y’know. It was getting to me.’

‘Really? I hadn’t noticed.’ Thea gave him a sly glance and for one terrible moment thought he hadn’t got her joke. But then he smiled, the lines on his forehead smoothing out.

‘So why are you here then?’ Thea asked, emboldened.

He sniffed and hurled a pebble out to sea. ‘I don’t do the whole sharing thing, just so you know.’ The smile disappeared.

‘Oh! Right! Sorry!’

‘Don’t mean to be rude. Anyway, Harriet told everyone, didn’t she? Nightmares. Leave it there.’

‘Yes! Of course! Sorry! None of my business.’ Thea blushed furiously.

Then suddenly, as they rounded the curve, there it was: the lighthouse.

It wasn’t as tall as Thea had expected. In fact it was quite dumpy and stunted-looking, the runt of the lighthouse litter, its white paint looking rather dirty now. Unloved.

‘People came to see that?’ Thea said in a disdainful tone.

‘I guess it looked better when it was properly maintained? I think they came because of the stained glass at the top. See the colours? I think it’s quite unusual for a lighthouse. They’re pictures, scenes or something …’