'Then where will he go? If he goes down to Finse — ' She stopped there. And again I wondered how much Farnell meant to her now. She looked cold and remote and delicately lovely in her navy blue ski suit and red socks and scarf. Red woollen gloves lay on the floor at her feet. She was the sort of girl that never let up once she had decided on something. 'Are you still in love with Farnell?' I asked suddenly, and my voice sounded harsh in the immense silence of that hut.
She looked at me. 'You shouldn't have asked that,' she said softly. 'Not now.'
'I suppose not,' I said dully. I hadn't the strength to argue or even press the point. And it wasn't until later that I realised that she had avoided a direct answer.
After that we didn't talk. I sat huddled against the fire. I felt I wanted to press the warmth right into my stomach. Gradually my shivering ceased. I took my boots off and changed into a clean pair of socks. The warmth on my face made me drowsy. Inside, the hut was silent as though waiting for the tick of a clock. Outside, the wind howled, rattling at the windows and shaking the massive timber of the walls. The blanketed sound of the snow was audible even above the wind. My eyes began to close. I felt myself dropping off to sleep.
Then suddenly Jill said, 'What's that?'
I started awake. 'What?' I asked.
'I thought I heard somebody.'
I listened. I could hear nothing but the wind and the snow. 'It's nothing,' I said drowsily. 'What did you think it was?'
'I thought I heard a voice.' She got to her feet and went towards the windows.
'Nobody will be coming here,' I said. 'Lovaas and his mate are out there somewhere in the snow. They'll never find this place. And Farnell's probably miles away by now.'