‘Eat it all,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to keep your strength up.’

While she ate he watched over her like a guard dog, or a nanny. Suddenly her thoughts about his amorous intentions seemed ridiculous, and she began to chuckle.

‘Careful,’ he said gently. ‘What’s so funny?’

‘Nothing-nothing-’ she gasped.

‘Well, don’t choke yourself for nothing. Steady.’ He was patting her on the back. ‘That’s better. Now can you share the joke?’

‘No way,’ she said. ‘Some jokes just can’t be shared.’

‘They can be the best,’ he suggested.

‘That’s true, and this one-Oh, don’t get me started again.’

He looked at her curiously, and seemed about to say something, when a shout of, ‘Hey!’ made everyone look up.

It was Henry, standing at the window.

‘It’s snowing,’ he bawled.

At once they crowded to the window to see the soft flakes drifting down. Renzo slipped outside and Mandy joined him.

‘I don’t like this,’ he said, staring intently.

‘It’s not very bad, is it?’ she asked. ‘It’s only a light fall.’

‘Yes, but if it keeps on for long it can have a destabilising effect. You get too much light, powdery snow that hasn’t had a chance to firm up and compact with the rest.’

‘You mean, we couldn’t go on?’

‘It might be a good idea to turn back.’

‘I hope we don’t have to,’ she said with a little sigh. ‘It’s so lovely up here-and just a little bit of snow-’

‘The trouble with you English is that you live in a moderate climate,’ he chided her. ‘You don’t really understand that snow can be dangerous. But look high up.’ Renzo indicated the flakes and, beyond them, the white peaks rearing up in the darkness. ‘Snow like that isn’t just affecting life. It is life. At the best it’s a challenge, at the worst it’s an enemy.’