“Why is there only one seat-belt?”

“Oh, because of President Truman, I should think,” said Finn. He opened the door for Ava and she climbed in. When Ava leaned briefly against her, Alicia felt the faint residual vibration of the sea’s chill in Ava’s flesh. On the other side, Finn was warm and comforting. The seat-belt threaded across their laps and Finn clicked it into place.

“It’s amazing they’re still allowed to sell these really,” said Finn, backing the van slowly out. “It’s got no turning-circle to speak of, it tips over if you look at it funny, and this bit… ” he kicked gently above the pedals “… this bit is basically just plywood. So if we crash, that’s us dead.”

“Seriously?” Alicia blinked.

“Seriously.”

“Why drive it, then?”

A little boy in a red hat was watching their progress up the hill. Finn waved. The boy stuck his finger in his mouth and stared back. “Because right up until the moment you die, you look really really cool and little kids wave at you when you go past. Well, sometimes they do. But it’s all right. Today I’m feeling lucky. We got everything off the beach before the council officer came, and the tide was in our favour so we didn’t have to do a moonlight flit. Today, the Gods are smiling on us. Let’s go somewhere we don’t know about yet and get some fish and chips. Ava, left or right?”

Ava peered up and down the road.

“Right.”

“Where are we going?” Alicia asked again.

“Anywhere. Don’t you ever go somewhere on a whim?”

“Have you actually met my dad?” said Alicia.

Ava looked at her reproachfully.

“Don’t mention the war,” said Finn. “Here’s how it works. We take it in turns to pick a direction at each junction. We drive until we find somewhere we like. Then we stop, and pretend that’s where we were going all along.”

“What if you run out of petrol?”

“We did once,” said Ava. “Do you remember? That time in that little village? It was about half-past nine but everyone had basically just gone to bed. And you went into the pub to ask if they had a phone we could use.”

“Oh yes,” said Finn, laughing. “And he was really suspicious and kept asking questions, and all my answers were terrible because I didn’t know where we were going or what we were going to do when we got there, and he obviously thought I was planning a crime spree. And then you came in and talked to him for about five seconds and he took off his apron and offered to drive you to the garage. You’ve got a way with men who own pubs.”

“Shush.”

“You’re allowed to like him, you know. I bet he’d be more fun than… ”

“That’s the end of that conversation,” said Ava firmly. “Which way now? Left or right?”

“Right,” said Alicia at random.

Right led down a steep hill. The van raced joyfully along, resisting Finn’s attempts to hold it back with the brakes. Alicia leaned shyly against Ava. When Ava made no objection, she closed her eyes so she could think.