‘The finale was called The Lion’s Bride. Everyone had been talking about it in the audience, saying how it was the most exciting thing you would ever see. I was rather sceptical, but it started off very well.’ He rubbed his hands through his hair and lifted them to his face. ‘I can still smell the smoke.’

‘Isobel will draw you a hot bath before you go to bed. Please continue, if you can.’ Ursula’s voice was soft and encouraging.

‘It’s hard to know what actually happened. Everyone thought the flames were part of the illusion, so we just sat there. No one moved at all. There was even some cheering at the spectacle. And then all of a sudden, the orchestra began to play “God Save the King”, and even then, to start with, no one moved. But of course, once we realised what they were playing we all stood up, because, well, because it was the national anthem and that’s the correct thing to do. By then we could see the flames had spread to the stage, and everyone knew that something was wrong. The safety curtain was brought down, but it didn’t go low enough to reach the stage. There was a gap at the bottom, about three feet, I think, and then there was a loud whoosh, just like when you put a piece of newspaper over the fire here to get it going and you take it away suddenly and all the air rushes in and the flames leap up.’ He took a sip of the hot milk and tasted the brandy. ‘It sounds silly now, but as it was happening, I was thinking about it as though it was a physics question in a school exam. I was working out the theory of it all as it unfolded in front of me.’

No one interrupted him as he tried to relive the course of events as accurately as he possibly could.

‘And then everyone tried to get out at the same time. There was some panic, but mostly people were just determined, and there was shouting, of course, but it wasn’t chaos. It was like a drill. Everyone did what they were supposed to do. And I took Ann’s hand and I didn’t let go. I think she fell on the stairs going towards the exit, and I’m afraid I just yanked her up.’ He was crying now, and looked over at his sister who was still sitting like a lump of wood beside her father. ‘I couldn’t bear to have lost you, Annie Bee.’

Ann nodded, but didn’t say anything.

Ursula passed him her own clean handkerchief, and he wiped his eyes, leaving grey streaks on the cotton fabric.