“I’m not breaking it,” said George. “I’m taking it to pieces.”

She found her voice. “That is breaking! Stop it! You can’t!”

“It’s all right.” Finn climbed up beside George and peered through the hole in the roof. “Ava, how’s it going in there?”

“The screws are stuck,” said Ava, from inside the beach hut.

“I’ll give you a hand.” Finn jumped down from the bench.

“No, there’s no need, just give me a minute.”

“If you go inside,” said George, “I’ll have to stop doing the roof. And if you want to get it down before eleven o’clock, we need to keep working on the roof.”

“Shit!” Ava appeared in the doorway. “Have we packed the first-aid kit? I’ve just stabbed myself with the screwdriver.”

“What did you do that for?” Finn pried open her fingers. Fat crimson droplets soaked into the sand. “Okay, that’s bad. Alicia, could you look in that suitcase for the first-aid kit?”

“Oh, hi,” said Ava, smiling at Alicia. “Finn, it’s fine, don’t fuss.”

“No, it’s not fine. Sit down. Alicia’s getting a plaster. I’ll do the bunks.”

“If you go inside,” George repeated patiently, “I’ll have to stop doing the roof. And if you want it down before eleven o’clock… ”

“What’s going on?” Alicia wailed. Tears collected in her throat. “Why is all your stuff packed? Where are you going? Why are you wrecking everything?”

Finn looked hard at Alicia. She stared defiantly back, praying he’d put her flushed cheeks and swimming eyes down to the breeze.

“I’m not supposed to tell you.”

“Finn,” said Ava, struggling with the zip of the suitcase. “Damn it, I’m bleeding on everything.”

“That’s because you didn’t do what I told you. Sit down. Sit. Down. There. On the bench. Mind the tools. Sit. Right now. That’s better.” Finn rummaged in a battered tin box and found some Elastoplast. “Give me your hand.” He smoothed the plaster carefully over. “Of course, what I should really do is wrap it in a strip of fluffy orange toilet paper that someone’s blown their nose on.”

“That would be the authentic thing to do,” Ava agreed.

“But we’ll stick to the hygienic solution for now.” Finn looked at Alicia thoughtfully. “George, have you got another screwdriver?”

“I’ve got lots of other screwdrivers,” said George. “Whether I’ve got the right sort of screwdriver is another question.”

“I need another one the same size as Ava’s. Have you got another one of those?”

“Let me see.” George, apparently forgetful of the importance of getting on with the roof, climbed down and peered into his toolbox. “Now. I don’t have another with a Phillips head on it. But if you’re careful – if you’re careful – you might manage with this one. But you’ll have to be really careful not to strip the screws, because it’s not really designed for the job and… ”

“Brilliant, thanks. Why don’t you sit with Ava and make sure she doesn’t get up and start doing stuff until the bleeding’s stopped. Alicia, here’s a screwdriver. Come on.”