"No, unlikely. If you mean prison. Certainly that's unprecedented. But a whopping great fine, for sure. The scale of which is new In East Anglia, two months ago, a manager who destroyed data and coerced colleagues to falsify records incurred a massive fine. It caused a horrendous fish kill. And he lost his job, obviously."

My mind was spiraling. Prison. Unlikely. But not out of the question. "Hugo can't lose his job, he runs it, owns it," I whispered, forcing myself not to go there.

"He will if Bellingdon goes under."

"Is that possible?"

Tommy shrugged unhappily. "It's big, Flora. Big. And with Fleming on the case . . . and obviously Shona has responsibilities.”

I turned to her, aghast. "You wouldn't!"

"What, report a huge whitewash story pertaining to the most sensitive coastal issue of the day? As a Cornish journalist?" She widened her eyes at me.

I seemed to have no saliva left in my mouth at all. I managed to steady myself before I spoke. “So — you met Ted today, and then texted Tommy, and then met here, in the most secluded spot in South Cornwall. What had you both decided to do? Before I came in?"

“Talk to Hugo, obviously," said Tommy. "But the problem is, Shona's now compromised. Because she asked me, and I told her what I know. What I've just told you." He looked beseechingly at me. “Don't ask me to be any other way, Flora."

I stared at him. Looked down at my hands. "No. I know. You had to. But . . . you told her in confidence? As an old friend?"

"How could I demand conditions? Guilt-trip her in any way? I have asked her to hold her fire, though, and she's agreed. But she's in a hole, now, Flora, because of me. Because I couldn't lie to her."

They both looked at me, horribly worried: Shona about what it would do to me, and by extension Peter, and Tommy about what he was doing to his friend. But there was certainty there, too. And an element of — not defiance — but steadfastness. They would do this, eventually. And no amount of argument or pleading from me would make things any different. These were decent people, loyal to their friends, but loyal to their own integrity and morals, too. More so. They had to be. And when I examined my own conscience, I knew, despite my initial panic, that I couldn't ask them, and indeed wouldn't want them, to be any other way.

"I'm giving you the worst-case scenario, Flora," said Tommy, leaning forward, his elbows on the table. His earnest face was close to mine. "Because I want you to go there in your mind. Yes, Bellingdon could collapse, but I give you my word, if Hugo fesses up, I'll do everything in my power to make the collateral damage as limited as possible. I'll be with him all the way."