Dougie rushed on. ‘I told her you’re trying to expose Go Wild. I told her you would help. She’ll give you her story. Once you publish it, she’ll be safe,’ he said, his expression determined and pleading at the same time.

The girl was staring up at her, like a rabbit frozen by oncoming headlights.

If she was the only witness to what had happened on that ship, then what Dougie had just said was true. Whatever she thought of the danger to Mark or herself from investigating Go Wild, it was nothing in comparison to the girl’s possible fate.

She reached out to draw the shivering girl to her feet. ‘Let’s get you up to the house. Don’t be frightened. You’ll be safe here with us.’

Once they were inside, Ava locked the door. ‘Although,’ she said, to assure the girl, ‘Finn always lets us know of approaching visitors. Plus we can see the headlights of any car that turns onto our road.’ She urged Nadia to the seat next to the stove. ‘Come on, let’s get you warmed up, then we’ll get some food into you.’

‘I promised her warm bannocks with bacon,’ Dougie said, his face flushed with relief.

‘Then bannocks and bacon it is,’ Ava said, welcoming the chance to do something practical.

The girl hadn’t yet uttered a word. With a name like that, might she be foreign? Ava wondered what age she was, where she’d come from and why she’d been on the ship in the first place. But she knew those questions would have to wait for now.

‘Tea, coffee or something stronger?’ Ava said. ‘I have beer or Orkney gin?’

Seeing the girl’s reaction to the word gin, Ava immediately fetched the bottle and, pouring two shots, handed her one. They downed them together, almost like a toast. Ava topped up their glasses again, pleased to see some colour coming into the girl’s cheeks.

‘Now we eat,’ she said.

Devouring the spread Ava set out before them prevented conversation for a while. Ava noted it was the most enthused she’d seen Dougie about food since she’d returned home. Up to now, his habit had been to take any meal she’d prepared to consume alone in his room.

As the plates were cleared, Ava suggested Nadia should head for bed. ‘I’ll take you up and show you where everything is. We can talk properly in the morning.’

The girl glanced at Dougie, who nodded his encouragement. ‘Finn will come with you. Keep you company.’

The girl smiled her thanks, then turned to Ava. ‘You won’t tell anyone I’m here? Please.’ They were the first words she’d uttered, and the fear in them was obvious.

‘I won’t. I promise,’ Ava said.