When a bedraggled couple appeared, seeking out a Christmas cream tea, Charlie busied herself in the kitchen and Hannah was left alone with her thoughts. She should ask Noah what was happening, instead of avoiding him. But what if she was misreading the situation, seeing too much in his actions because it was what she wanted to see? The last thing she needed was to call him out on his flirting only to discover that she’d got it wrong, and end up with their tentative friendship in tatters. Part of her wished she’d never gone to the swimming pool.

The weather continued to worsen over the morning, as if it had lulled them into a false sense of security with the glimmer of early morning sunshine. As lunchtime neared, Charlie decided that, with no more customers and the trucks exposed on the beach, it was time to close. Hannah agreed to help, and between them they visited all the vendors, telling them to go home, shouting over the crackle of wind as it buffeted the awnings, wiping rain out of their eyes. By the time they made it back onto Gertie they were soaked to the skin, and Hannah couldn’t feel her hands, nose or ears.

Charlie passed her a towel, and she was running it over her sodden face when she heard footsteps. She dragged the towel away to see Daniel in the doorway, dressed in an expensive-looking waterproof coat, only his eyes, nose and mouth free from the confines of its hood. Behind him, his black coat covered in water droplets, was Noah.

‘Charlie, this is madness,’ Daniel said. ‘You have to close up.’

‘It’s done.’ Charlie planted a kiss on his nose. ‘I realized how futile it was. I’m just going to turn everything off and lock up. Hi, Noah. Are you OK?’

‘Good, thanks,’ he said. ‘I bumped into Daniel on his way out, and offered to drive him down here.’ He turned his gaze on Hannah, and she gave him a weak smile.

‘Hey.’

‘Hi.’ He sounded wary, and Hannah cringed again at the way she’d run out of the steam room.

‘I think we should all go to the hotel,’ Daniel said. ‘I need to be there anyway, and the forecast says the storm’s going to worsen again. I want you there too, Charlie. You, Marmite and Jasper.’ His dark eyes were devoid of their usual amusement.

‘You don’t mind the dogs being up there?’

‘We’ve already got Spirit,’ Daniel explained. ‘It’s fucking grim, and there’s talk of power cuts and more travel disruption. I’d feel much happier if you were with me.’

‘Of course,’ Charlie said, but Hannah saw the worried look in her eyes.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.

‘Reenie’s still out there, in her house. If the storm’s going to get even worse, then—’

‘I know,’ Daniel said gravely. ‘I’m not happy about her being there. She needs to be up at the hotel with us.’

‘How are we going to do that?’ Charlie asked. ‘How will we get out there?’