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they were done, she asked for a photograph of Abi and immediately took off back to the station to get the details circulated.

‘The coastguards have been alerted and are coordinating search efforts,’ explained Nick. ‘But the weather’s not helping. The Met Office have issued a severe gale warning – there’s a storm front moving in towards Land’s End and we’re going to be in for a battering over the next few hours.’

As if on cue, a fork of lightning lit up the garden and a boom of thunder rolled overhead.

Connie, her face distorted with anguish, leapt up. ‘My daughter’s out there in this – it’s no use us just sitting here. We need to find her.’

Pru and Dorothy both reached out to her, wrapping their arms around her.

‘This may seem obvious,’ said Nick, ‘but have you searched the house from top to bottom? Is it possible she could be hiding in here somewhere?’

‘We looked in every room,’ said Dorothy.

‘Did you check under beds? In wardrobes? The attic? Kids that age, when they get upset—’

‘Let’s go and check,’ said Francis, waving for Nick to follow him.

Connie and Pru were left with their parents and Belinda.

‘So now we know why you two never married,’ said Pru in a dull voice. ‘You were already married … with a family. Did you know all the time, Mum?’

‘Yes,’ said Dorothy. ‘Or rather, I knew about Susan. Neither of us knew about you, Belinda. If we had, things would have been very different. Henry and I might never have got together …’ She clasped her hands together. ‘But we can’t change the past. It’s how we deal with the future that’s important. Our first priority is to find Abi. The rest we’ll deal with as we come to it.’

Francis and Nick returned. Everyone looked at them expectantly. Francis shook his head. ‘Nothing,’ he said.

‘Any outbuildings? Garden shed, greenhouse? Any neighbours she might have gone to? With all that thunder and lightning going on outside, she’ll have tried to seek shelter. Can you think where she—’

‘We’ve already checked The Bungalow,’ said Henry.

‘Jem’s at Dairy Cottage, so we’d know if she was there,’ said Francis.

‘There’s the garage and my greenhouse,’ said Dorothy.

‘And the smuggler’s cave,’ said Pru.

‘Oh God, please don’t let her be down there,’ gasped Connie.

‘There’s only one way to find out,’ said Belinda decisively.

‘I’m coming with you!’ Connie leapt up to follow.

‘Wait for me,’ said Pru.

*

The rain lashed at the three sisters as they hurried along the path, following the beam of Belinda’s torch. All three felt a lurch of hope when the thin ray of light hit the fortified door and they saw that it was ajar. They shoved aside the heavy door and ran into the stone room: the stacks of old furniture and garden equipment were illuminated by the light coming from the stairs leading down to the boathouse. Abi must have turned them on when she came in.

They made their way down the steps as quickly as they could. The sound of waves breaking against the cave walls below drowned out their voices. The tide must have come in a long way.

As they reached the last step and turned to enter the cavern, they saw Greg struggling to untie Abi’s Gale from its moorings with his one good hand.

‘Greg, what are you doing?’ shouted Connie. ‘You can’t go out in this!’

Greg looked up. ‘I’m going to find Abi.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Pru. ‘Look at you – you’re in no fit state.’

Belinda stepped forward and tried to take the rope from Greg’s hand. He whipped it away determinedly, all sign of his earlier drunkenness gone.

‘Get out of my way! I have to find my daughter.’

‘The police and the coastguards are out there looking for her,’ said Belinda. ‘There’s nothing you—’

Ignoring her, Greg turned the key in the ignition and the boat’s engine spluttered into life. As he took his eyes off Belinda to turn the boat around, she leapt wildly and landed on her knees on the slippery-planked bottom. ‘I’m coming with you,’ she said. ‘There’s no way you can manage with one hand.’

Barely able to hear her above the roar of the engine and the crashing of the waves, Greg nodded his assent.

Leaving Connie and Prudence shouting after them on the small jetty, Belinda and Greg set off down the cavern towards the sea. The waves were rolling in on large unbreaking peaks, tossing the rubber hull of the boat as if it were a toy.

‘I’m scared, Greg,’ cried Belinda. ‘Please. Turn