‘We act on instinct,’ Justin said, when Claudia could no longer continue. ‘We have competing needs of self-preservation and a primal desire to protect our group, the group being our friends, our family and our neighbours. Claudia managed to get to the side exit, but held back longer than she should to make sure everyone else was safe. I’m sure by now you’ve realised my wife’s overriding compulsion is to help others.’

‘No, Justin,’ Claudia warned. ‘Don’t make me out to be something I’m not.’

‘Then don’t deny what you did.’

‘I don’t, but if I’d known how much I’d hurt you in the process,’ she said, holding her husband fiercely in her gaze.

‘Us,’ he corrected.

For a time, only the sound of Claudia’s shallow breaths could be heard. Leanne needed to know. ‘What’s this about?’

Claudia shook her head slowly from side to side, pain contorting her features. The smudged make-up gave the impression of shadows beneath her damp eyes. ‘I didn’t think through what I was doing. I was so stupid! If I’d known …’

‘I found Claudia wandering around Victoria Park amongst the other survivors,’ Justin explained. ‘She was obviously suffering from shock, but she hadn’t sought help. She didn’t want to waste anyone’s time, but I insisted she was seen by one of the paramedics. We were advised to make our own way to the hospital so she could be checked out for any effects of smoke inhalation.’ He stopped to take a breath. Meanwhile, Claudia had pressed her hand to her mouth. Whatever he had to say was killing them both. ‘And because she was two months pregnant.’

Claudia swallowed hard. ‘Compared to some of the others they were pulling out of the theatre, I was fine.’ She laughed bitterly as she stabbed a finger to her chest. ‘I was fine. Just me.’

Leanne knew what was coming and yet she searched the room for confirmation that a baby lived there too, one that would be four months old by her reckoning.

‘We lost it,’ Claudia said when she noticed Leanne’s hopeless search. Her voice was hollow. ‘Not on that night, but within days.’

‘Oh,’ Leanne said. For a second she thought only of how this was going to mess up the dry piece she had intended to write about the woman of privilege behind the memorial fund. It took an indecent amount of time for the grief etched on the faces of Claudia and Justin to finally register. What was wrong with her? Leanne reached over to place a hand on Claudia’s arm. ‘I’m so sorry.’

The small gesture appeared to be too much, and Claudia’s chest heaved as she fought to hold back a sob. Justin was there in a second, crouching down so their foreheads touched. ‘It’s time to acknowledge the Empress took another victim that night,’ he said.