‘Wait, you’re registering phoney guests?’ he said.

‘It takes ages,’ said Alex.

‘Yeah, but why?’

Alex shrugged.

‘What for Alex?’ said Dan.

‘I don’t know, Dan,’ said Alex tiredly. ‘Seriously, who cares?’ He went back into the kitchen.

‘Why d’you have to be so aggressive?’ said Bea.

‘I didn’t raise my voice,’ said Dan.

‘You never do,’ she said. ‘You don’t have to.’

‘I was trying to find out what’s going on here. This isn’t a hotel.’

‘It’s none of our business,’ she said.

‘You mean mine.’

‘No. It’s his place –’

‘It’s your dad’s place, Bea.’

‘What’s the difference?’

‘I thought you didn’t want anything to do with him –’

‘It’s not me! It’s Alex! He can do what he wants.’

‘Because he has the choice, doesn’t he? It’s a sham – this whole thing is a game.’

‘So what, though? What’s your problem?’

‘I mean, what’s going on? Is he just pretending about everything – or what?’

‘God, Dan, I don’t know, ask him!’

‘I did!’

‘You were really nasty about it!’

‘It’s all a laugh to both of you, isn’t it?’

‘It’s not –’ she said. ‘I’m just trying to make him feel better.’

‘Yeah, it’s harsh, living in a hotel, doing nothing.’

He was angry, and jealous. It wasn’t her fault. ‘OK, whatever,’ she said. ‘I’m going out.’

‘Out? Where?’

It pleased her how shocked he was to be deserted. ‘I’m going for a walk,’ she said.

‘Don’t you want breakfast?’

‘Oh, fuck off, Dan,’ she said, then, at the door, relented. ‘I’ll see you in a bit. It’s fine.’ She didn’t slam it, she shut it, and he was alone.

When she had gone, he shook his head at himself.

‘Nice one,’ he said, out loud.

His mother had had a boyfriend once, who yelled at her. He had never forgotten, as a child, seeing the way her head shrank into her shoulders – his big woman of a mother – terrified the guy would smack her. Dan was never anything but ashamed of being angry with Bea and she was right, he had been aggressive to Alex. He would have loved her to be wrong just one time. No, that wasn’t it, he’d hate that. He needed her compass. He went into the kitchen to make peace with her brother, who was poking burnt bits out from between the holes in the gas stove.

‘Bea gone out?’ he said.

‘Yeah, for a walk,’ said Dan. ‘D’you need a hand?’

Alex took the question in the spirit it was intended.

‘No thank you very much,’ he answered. ‘But it’s coffee time.’

They took some coffee and more croissants into the garden, and sat at the nearest table.

‘Salut,’ said Alex, raising his cup.

‘What?’

‘Cheers.’

‘Yeah. Cheers,’ said Dan.

‘Happy holidays,’ said Alex. ‘Where would you normally be now?’

‘In the office,’ Dan said. ‘Waiting for lunchtime.’

The morning air was soft with dew and full of sunshine. A million miles away Foundations of Holloway were halfway through Thursday morning; cold-calling clients and talking shit. He noticed the coffee was very good. He leaned back slightly in his chair. He noticed the patterns the light made on the grass, how they moved. Out of habit, he practised making them into a flat plane of coloured shapes and lines, to work out how to paint them. Alex was staring at him.