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‘Even though I do think Ned will be OK, I can’t take the risk,’ Katie said, wringing her hands. ‘I can’t stop thinking: What if I do nothing? I don’t want to be the one who simply washes my hands of him and runs out on him when I could have helped.’

In other words, it sounded very much like she didn’t want to do a Rowan, thought Arlo.

Arlo snapped into action. ‘OK,’ he said calmly. ‘It may well be nothing to be concerned about but, given the circumstances, let’s drive up to the cave car park and see if we can spot him. If we can’t find him or don’t hear from him within half an hour, I think we might have to consider calling the Mountain Rescue team.’

‘Mountain Rescue?’ Katie’s gasp stirred Pongo. ‘Oh God, no. He’d hate me making a fuss. How can we expect strangers to turn out in this weather for Ned?’

‘It’s what they’re there for – but I’m sure it won’t come to that,’ he added. ‘Let’s go back to the house, grab some kit and go now while we have the daylight.’

In other circumstances, Arlo would have enjoyed the sight of Katie in a coat that swamped her and an old pair of his waterproof trousers turned over at the waist and bottoms numerous times.

However, he was far from amused as he drove her down the twisting fell road to the car park at Rosthwaite. He wasn’t going to say but the forecast was for the rain to turn to sleet and later to ‘light snow’, which could easily turn to heavy snow.

Although it was half past two, the light was going and with Ned’s possible state of mind, Arlo was on the verge of calling out the MRT immediately. He decided that, as Katie was so worried about Ned’s reaction at causing ‘trouble’, he would allow half an hour to find the guy and then call them out.

Before they left the Lodge, Katie had messaged her friends to tell them she’d gone out with Arlo to look for Ned and not to worry, as he was probably walking by the cave. Arlo had also arranged for Greg to ferry them across to the island when they returned from their outings. Ten minutes later, they pulled into the car park. It was almost deserted apart from two vehicles, one of them being Ned’s Audi.

Katie let out a groan. ‘I knew it. I knew he’d come here.’

Arlo’s own heart sank and he felt slightly sick. ‘Well, at least we know he’s in the immediate area and there’s hardly any signal so he’s probably out walking,’ he said as positively as he could. ‘He’ll probably be back any minute but I think it’s worth walking up the path towards the cave in case we meet him.’

Katie climbed out of the car and shivered. ‘It feels much colder than this morning. I think this rain is turning to sleet.’

‘It is,’ Arlo agreed, checking his phone; it had two bars of 4G – enough to call for help, at least by the car park. He slotted it into a waterproof pouch. ‘Let’s go, and if we don’t see him when we get to the bottom of the cave, we’ll have to come straight back to get a signal and contact the MRT.’

He collected his large rucksack as well as a smaller one for Katie from the back of the Land Rover. It was unlikely anything would happen to either of them on the relatively easy low-level path to the base of the cave, but you never knew.

Katie was almost unrecognisable in her voluminous waterproofs with the hood up and a pair of oversized gloves. The sleet was wetter and heavier and there was a sharp chill in the air that made him grateful for the all-weather gear. Nonetheless, he decided they shouldn’t be out for too long with darkness falling.

Many unspoken thoughts churned around his head as they made their way along the path. The last time he’d seen Ned, the man had been wearing an expensive down puffa jacket, but Arlo had seen no sign of any other kit and the lightweight rucksack he’d carried hadn’t looked to have much in it. He doubted very much if Ned had stuff like head torches, bivi bags and foil blankets, let alone anything as uncool as waterproof trousers.

Then again, Arlo was probably doing him a disservice. Nothing mattered except finding the guy safe and well. In fact, Arlo was more than ready to face his scorn and annoyance at Katie, or rather Arlo, turning out to ‘rescue’ him. Arlo himself would have been pretty pissed off.

Unless Ned really was in actual difficulty – or worse, a fear that was growing by the minute. Katie would be devastated if anything happened to Ned. However complicated her feelings for her ex were, she loved him and that was all that mattered.

‘Here we are.’

Katie twisted round, her eyes the only part of her face exposed to the elements. She had to come right up close so he could hear her as the sleet pattered against their waterproofs. Funnelled down the valley, the wind howled and pewter clouds loomed over the mountains. Arlo knew a lot of snow was about to be dumped on Borrowdale.

With dusk settling, and the foul weather, there wasn’t a soul around.

She pointed upwards. ‘Do you think he’s up in the cave sheltering from this sleet?’

‘Maybe.’ Arlo pulled out his phone in the waterproof pouch. No signal.

He lifted his eyes to the ledge in front of the cave and his stomach clenched.

‘Be careful,’ he warned. ‘The path’s wet and the slate is loose.’ He clenched his fingers by his side. ‘If he isn’t in the cave, we have to call out the MRT.’

He wasn’t sure if Katie had heard him because she was already up the path and on to the rocky platform outside the cave.

‘Ned! Are in you there? Ned, can you hear me?’ She marched forward. ‘I’m going in.’

‘Wait, you need a torch,’ Arlo said but Katie was already under the overhang of the entrance. Moments later, he saw the beam of her mobile phone lighting up the floor of the cave. She was already ankle-deep in water that had dripped off the roof, the heavy rain having filled up the hollows.

‘Hold on!’ he called, approaching the mouth of the cave, adrenaline already flooding through him.

No answer. Katie was swallowed inside the cave, her mobile light growing fainter.