Moving into the room and settling on the seat opposite his desk, Gabriela said, ‘Hi, I was expecting to see you earlier but the meeting was cancelled, apparently.’

His face barely moved. ‘That’s right.’

Brushing over the fact that he hadn’t bothered to tell her about it, she continued, ‘So I just wanted to make sure everything was teed up. We haven’t had a meeting for a while and I think it’s important we’re all up to date.’

‘Actually, I was going to drop you a line later, about the job.’ Emsworth’s expression changed and she watched him, slowing down, lining up his words for the perfect delivery.

Noting the blankness of her expression, he said, ‘They haven’t told you? They’ve made a decision – that’s where I was this morning. And it looks like good news for you …’

Her whole body vibrated with excitement. ‘Oh wow!’

‘Wow, indeed,’ he said, delivering the news with a smile. ‘You see, you’re just doing so well here, it would be a shame – a real shame – to lose you. And they understood that, when I explained it to them. They understood why I needed to keep you, what with Madeleine walking out on us like that. Anyway, like I said, it’s good news for you! Without Serena in the department, we can apply for an extra pair of hands, so you’re not struggling to keep on top of things quite so much … You do seem to be struggling. And like I said, I’m always here, to watch over things.’

‘Serena?’

It was as if someone had turned down the volume on the world. For the next few seconds, she watched Emsworth’s features moving – the too-soft shine of his cheeks, his lips puckering as he enunciated her defeat, but the meaning remained unclear.

‘What the fuck?’ The words slipped out before she could control them.

Emsworth visibly recoiled. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘That job was mine. You said so; Bradford, in the final interview, he told me it was as good as sealed …’

‘Oh Gabriela, come now, don’t be ridiculous. Firstly, there’s no way anyone would make a promise like that without due process. And frankly, I thought we were doing you a favour. This role, it’s loaded with responsibility, you’d be taking on infinitely more …’

‘I know, that is precisely why I applied! I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but ever since Madeleine left I’ve effectively been doing several roles at once, without any additional pay or recognition, and you told me— This job, please, it means everything to me … Please …’ There was a desperation to her voice that repulsed them both.

‘Well, that’s quite an admission.’ He was quiet for a few seconds and then he shrugged. ‘The problem is, it’s all about trust. We need someone we can rely on 100 per cent.’