The girl reached her mother and fell into her arms. Constance lifted her up in the air, both of them whooping. The woman’s hair was loose down her back, threaded through with small shells, and she was wearing a sleeveless dress made of a patchwork of fabrics roughly sewn. Just behind her, on the rocks, Ruby saw that she’d placed her sealskin coat, which seemed good as new, shining like polished pewter in the sun. Constance balanced Leonie on a hip, walked toward Ruby. As she did so, Ruby could see the difference that a few days with her people had made. Constance seemed truly alive, for the first time, in a way Ruby had never seen; her eyes sparkled, her skin was illuminated. Whatever had been missing back at the New Park estate had been returned. Leonie lay her head on her mother’s bare shoulder; apart from the dress, she wasn’t wearing anything. Ruby shivered, wondering how Constance could stand the cold.

“You came,” said Constance.

“Of course. I promised.”

“Thank you for coming, for bringing her.”

When Constance moved forward to embrace her, Ruby jerked away.

“What is it?” said Constance, finally seeing Ruby properly, how her expression had darkened.

“Where were you?” said Ruby, her voice sharpened by anger. How could she look so happy, after everything she’d done? “At Cleethorpes. You left her on her own. How could you do that?”

“I didn’t want to.” Constance set Leonie on the sand, straightened up and looked at Ruby. “I had no choice.”

The wind had picked up. Ruby’s words were being whipped away as it took her breath and stung her eyes. But she didn’t feel it. “Of course you had a choice. You could have chosen to keep her safe. You could have chosen not to leave her all alone.”

“I would have died if I’d stayed there. You know that.”

“You? She might have died because of what you did. How could you leave her—how could you choose yourself over your daughter, what kind of mother does that?”

“If it’s a choice between my daughter or death, then it’s not a choice. What use am I to her, without my own life?”

“Some people might say that it’s your duty to sacrifice yourself for your child.”

Constance grimaced. “I thought you understood. Clearly I was wrong. I don’t have to explain myself again.”

“Right. And I don’t have to do anything to help you, or your kid. You treat me like I’m an idiot. Just like everyone does.”

“You can choose whatever path you feel is right, Ruby. That’s always been the case.”

“You asked me to help you.”

“You didn’t have to say yes.”