I wasn’t sure what to say. This was conversation. This was how grown-ups spoke. I realized how few such chats I had ever had; how few times I had spoken just for the simple exchange of stories and the passing of the time. I always wanted something, even if just to show off how much cleverer than them I was.

‘Bad news about Fairfax,’ he said, breathing out. ‘I heard you had a wee chat not long before. Up at John Goose’s place in Denton. Poor old soul, eh? Shouldn’t have been out in it.’

There was no reproach in his voice but I sensed the other two drinkers subtly shift position so they could hear. I recognized one of them. He was a well-built man with curly black hair and lips like slugs. The shoulders of his checked shirt were soaked a darker hue than the rest of it and a faint steam rose from him, as if from compost.

‘That’s what I wanted to see Sergeant Chivers about,’ I said. ‘I thought he might have been up to see me.’

‘Never rushes himself, our Chivvy,’ smiled Stubbs. ‘Takes an hour for a thought to reach his mouth, though that’s ’cause it has to travel the half mile from his arse, if you’ll pardon the language.’

I grinned. It might have reached my eyes. ‘So he will be up, you think?’

‘Don’t know, love. What you got to tell him?’

I took another drink. Gave it two breaths of thought. Shrugged inside myself.

‘When the storm hit a tree came down. Smashed into one of the old crypts. There was something inside. That’s what I told Fairfax. He went to see. Next I heard he’d had an accident.’

‘Aye, God rest him,’ sighed Stubbs, shaking his head. ‘Spadeadam road. The way that rain came down it’s no wonder he got himself turned around, though you’d think he would be able to find his way in pitch bloody darkness given how long he’s been here. Word is he was off to go and tell the vicar of Magdalene about the damage. Floods pushed him up the wrong road. Lost control going over the brow towards the base. Slammed on but skidded and went straight through the glass. Couple of lads from the base found him there. Bad state he was. Right mess.’

I closed my eyes. It was a horrible thought. I’d barely known him but I knew he would never have been out on the road had I not pushed him to go to the churchyard. Was he trying to impress me? He’d enjoyed looking at my legs. Had seemed a cheerful, playful sort of man.

‘It’s awful,’ I said, and nodded when Stubbs enquired if I wanted another drink.