‘Some insect just flew into my eye.’ She brushed them both quickly with her fingers and fixed her smile on us again.

The waiter brought me a cup and I poured myself some tea. Mr Cartwright watched me closely.

‘Lucy tells me you attended one of Lord Hamilton’s rallies,’ he said eventually. ‘I hope you’re not throwing your lot in with the Fascists.’

‘He asked me to come as a personal favour.’

‘Are you close to Lord Hamilton then?’

Lucy stirred in her seat.

‘I am.’

‘He’s a complete buffoon.’

‘George,’ Mrs Cartwright said. ‘You don’t know the man.’

‘I don’t need to. His kind are becoming irrelevant, so now they throw their lot in with anyone who offers them power.’

‘Actually,’ I said. ‘Freddie is very clever.’

‘Well, if he is bright, then he’s being incredibly manipulative.’

I heaped some sugar into my tea so I wouldn’t have to meet his gaze. I was annoyed, not just by what he was saying about Freddie, but also by the conversation in general. I’d been so careful to steer away from politics around them for so long, and now I felt like my hand was being forced. It made me feel reckless. ‘Aren’t all politicians manipulative?’

Mr Cartwright turned purple. ‘Do you fill my daughter’s head with this cynical rubbish?’

‘Daddy,’ Lucy said. ‘I told you – we don’t talk about politics.’

‘Not everyone can hold the same views as you, darling,’ Mrs Cartwright said.

He ignored them. ‘Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?’

‘I’m sorry if you’re offended, but I haven’t done anything wrong. Freddie is one of the best people I know.’

‘You can’t know many people then.’

My fingers felt tight around the handle of my teacup. ‘I know everyone at this table.’

Mr Cartwright looked as if he wanted to spit. ‘The more I come across the young, the more I worry about the future. Your generation is shallow, totally selfish, totally unaware of the sacrifices made in the name of your safety.’

‘At least we don’t hide what we want.’

‘You want to know what I want?’ He looked at Lucy. ‘I want the two of you to see less of each other.’

‘Daddy.’

‘Well it’s not up to you,’ I said.

Lucy stood up and walked away from the table.

‘Look at what you’ve done now, the two of you,’ Mrs Cartwright said.

I stood up without looking at Mr Cartwright and followed Lucy outside to the front of the hotel. She was waiting for me on the street, her face whiter than ever.

‘You shouldn’t have argued with Daddy,’ she said.

‘I didn’t start it.’

‘He gets upset.’ She chewed a fingernail. ‘He used to work in Intelligence before the War. He still knows things he doesn’t tell Mummy or me, about what’s going on now.’