‘You think the local newspaper would take our photographs?’

‘Why not? We’d have to tell them, of course, so they could find us. Your friend Miss Calver would help us with a press release.’

‘My father would hit the roof.’

‘My parents too,’ he said. ‘But isn’t Eli’s hut the important issue here?’

‘We should only do it if he agrees.’

‘Of course. But the point is that while we’re occupying the hut, they can’t destroy it.’

The idea was so bold, so daring, so terrifying. Being chained to a hut in the middle of the woods, with press photographers milling around? Pa would be furious. He might never forgive me. And what might the Blackness do? Could we even get hurt? But Kit was looking at me with bright, expectant eyes. How could I disappoint him?

‘Let’s go and visit Miss Calver and see what she thinks.’ I was secretly beginning to hope she would say the newspapers wouldn’t be interested, so that we could drop the whole idea.

Kit leaned across and put his hand over mine. I squeezed his hand back and we sat there, holding hands, for a long, beautiful moment. Was his touch thrilling, electric, like those novels said? Did it sear my skin? Well, perhaps not, but it certainly made my pulse race, and it felt so right, so perfect, that I wanted it to go on forever.

‘Are you getting cold feet?’ he asked. I was wondering how to respond when Jimmy interrupted.

‘Find treasure now?’ I’d almost forgotten he was there.

‘Go and look again,’ I said.

But Kit was already on his feet. ‘Come on, laddie. Let’s go and find it.’

After some searching we eventually found the small pile of stones, concealed under an tuft of overgrown grass, and dug into the hard, dry earth with the trowel Kit had packed. All that was left, after years beneath the earth, was a broken box and some pieces of rusty metal, but Jimmy seemed perfectly satisfied.

As we were rowing back, I glanced across at Kit and Jimmy in the other boat. My brother had never seemed happier than when he was with Kit. They were sharing a joke and laughing out loud – I felt a little pang of jealousy. Kit was such a mystery. I could still feel the imprint of his hand on mine, but he gave no sign that he wanted to be closer. I hated myself for resenting my brother, but how would I ever get a boyfriend with Jimmy hanging around all the time?

Later, when we got back to the Hall, Kit said, ‘Where’s your parrot, Cap’n?’