I watched her walk away, unsure what to do next. A gloom had fallen over the room, darkening skies visible through the windows, turning from pale grey to charcoal. I looked at my watch – it was half six but seemed later. Molloy gave me a nod as he left with the woman in the red coat – some new crisis, I assumed – and it occurred to me that I should probably ring my parents and let them know I was all right. They were bound to be worried if they’d heard about what was happening here.

My thoughts were interrupted by raised voices across the room, and I looked over, taken aback to see Jude’s daughter Sue having an argument with Amanda, Bob Jameson’s widow. She was pulling on the sleeve of Amanda’s coat as if trying to force the older woman to talk to her, but Amanda didn’t want to engage. It seemed a strangely aggressive attack on a recently bereaved middle-aged woman. Jude, who’d been speaking to Phyllis, strode over to intervene. He whispered something to his daughter, gave her a warning look, and she withdrew, re-joining her sister and nephew.

I cast my eye around the room and saw that Mary, who was now with Phyllis, had been watching what was going on too. Phyllis put her hand on Mary’s shoulder as if to comfort her.

I went over to join them. But as I approached, Phyllis cleared her throat as if changing the subject and when she spoke her voice was unnaturally loud. “We were just wondering if we should pool food and all eat here together in the hall? What do you think?”

Phyllis was a terrible dissembler, but I said nothing. “Maybe.”

Her suggestion brought back flashbacks of the previous summer and a storm that had left Molloy and I stranded overnight on an island. This was becoming a bit of a habit, I thought, although I’d never been stranded with the whole town before.

“I was going to suggest it to “himself”.” Phyllis glanced at the councillor, still taking names, beginning to become a bit flustered, his sheets of paper looking a little less neat. “Although maybe I’d better leave him alone for a bit – he looks as if he can only manage one thing at a time.”

“I’m not sure,” Mary said, biting her lip. “I should probably take care of my guests first.” She glanced over at Amanda and Derek, seated now on two chairs side by side, staring straight ahead and not speaking, each clearly immersed in their own thoughts. “Although I have plenty of food so anyone who wants is welcome to come up and eat with me. My rooms are full, but I could easily fit a few more around the tables.”