‘I’m not.’ He swished the whisky around in his glass. ‘Frankly, I can’t think of anything worse than getting old and boring.’

So Rupert thought about dying too. I was irritated that he was muscling in on something that Sylvie and I shared, even if we’d never shared it out loud. ‘Really?’ I asked. ‘Nothing worse?’

‘Really.’ He pointed at Sylvie. ‘How about you?’

‘I’d rather die than have people stop wanting me around.’

‘People are stupid,’ Rupert said. ‘Who cares how they feel about you?’

Nicolas snorted.

‘I mean it,’ Rupert said. ‘Do you think I care?’ He stretched his legs. ‘How would you do it?’

‘Gun,’ Sylvie said immediately.

‘Very masculine of you.’

‘Please can we change the subject?’ Nicolas said.

Rupert shrugged. ‘You should listen to your wife more – she’s one of the only interesting people out here.’

Sylvie smiled. Rupert raised his glass to her. ‘Why did you think I was hanging around all the time? I’ve never met anyone like you.’

He seemed so serious, and my stomach shifted uneasily. I’d never seen his mask slip before. I hadn’t noticed how young he looked, or how dark his eyes were.

‘I like the night-time better than the day,’ I blurted.

Nicolas laughed.

‘You’re nocturnal, remember,’ Sylvie said.

‘What’s that?’ Nicolas asked.

‘One of Freddie’s theories.’

‘What –’

‘Apparently I’m a leopard,’ I said. I stole a glance at Rupert. ‘He’s a leopard too, but only because he likes watching Sylvie.’

‘Making you his prey, my love?’ Nico said.

‘I wouldn’t say that.’

‘She likes Freddie too much to be his prey,’ I said.

‘Damn mosquitoes are all over me,’ Rupert said loudly. His sneer was back and I hoped he was annoyed enough to act out. ‘I thought you knew a thing or two about camping, de Croÿ?’

‘You chose the spot,’ Nicolas said, swatting them away.

‘You didn’t object.’

‘I’ve been bitten,’ Sylvie interrupted. She showed us the insides of her arms. Livid red dots had appeared on both forearms. ‘They always go for me.’

‘Looks bad,’ Rupert said. He took a long drink of the whisky.

‘You make it too inviting for them,’ I said.

‘Do I?’

She was smiling, but at the ground, not at me. In the glow of the fire she looked lovelier than ever, shadows moving across her face and deepening her eyes. She had a string of pearls around her neck that drew attention to the fine bones in her chest and she fingered them, as if she knew what I was looking at without having to see. I loved her so much my heart hurt and my head felt dizzy. And at the same time I had an urge, so strong it was almost bewildering, to hit her.

On the other side of the fire, Nicolas slapped his neck. ‘Got one.’