‘I don’t know,’ Liam grunts.

When the beach peters out we have to head inland, through the woods and then up and over a scraggy hill. We can see the cliffs in the distance, and I remember the warning in the book, but when I mention it to Liam, he waves the concern away. By the time we reach them, I have to stop to catch my breath for a moment before I can take in the view. When I do, I can see three hundred and sixty degrees – the whole island spread out before us, as well as the loch stretching in all directions. It makes me feel tiny and insignificant, and also emphasises just how far we are from any help. The loch is really a firth, or a fjord: it leads out to sea, and the mainland feels terribly far away. Looking back over the island, I can make out the forest as well as the roof struts of the burned castle poking up among the trees. The cottage is a small dot more than a mile away, and the jetty appears as thin as a twig stretching out into the dark grey water.

Liam pulls out his phone but the expression on his face tells me he’s got no reception. ‘What about you?’ he asks, nodding at the phone in my hand.

I look down at it and shake my head. ‘No,’ I say. ‘Nothing.’

Liam scowls and then trudges off to a slightly higher point nearer to the edge of the cliffs.

‘Don’t go too close,’ I warn.

He ignores me and holds his phone in the air.

I stand well back, leaning into the buffeting wind and scanning the desolate hillside. It’s completely unsheltered, which is probably why it’s so barren, apart from one arthritic tree, bent almost double as its roots dig in like claws to keep from being tipped over by the gale force. I feel like at any point the wind might pick me up and sweep me off the precipice too.

‘It looks like there’s a path over there,’ Liam shouts as he heads back over to me. He points to a barely visible track built into the rock face, which looks like it might lead down, though I don’t dare step close enough to find out where to.

‘It looks dangerous,’ I say. ‘Come on, let’s go home.’

Liam smiles at me, shaking his head as though he’s a child indulging an overly protective parent, but he moves away from the edge and we keep going, walking along the perimeter of the island.