Eva looked at her questioningly, took out her phone and tapped notes into it.

‘OK,’ she said. ‘You’ll need to speak to the prime minister, and there are all sorts of issues that need to be dealt with. Where do you want to start?’

‘First of all I need to speak to Óðinn,’ Úrsúla said. ‘Would you send him along to me? But first I’m going outside for a smoke.’

She knew she needed a dose of nicotine to stop her hands from shaking.

*

Stella the cleaner was already on the balcony, finishing a cigarette. But when she saw Úrsúla approaching, she took another one from 242her pocket and lit up. The temperature had risen above zero and the snow had begun to melt. Water dripped from the roof, pattering on the handrail, which rang like a bell under the beating drops.

‘Thanks for your company out here,’ Úrsúla said. ‘This is my last day. I’ll be resigning tomorrow.’

It was as well to practise her speech out here. In the morning she would have to gather the ministry staff in the central meeting area and repeat it.

‘What?’ Stella said. ‘Because of the homeless guy and all that?’

‘Yes,’ Úrsúla confirmed. ‘First I was accused of trying to get hold of his medical records without permission, then of having him locked up without reason, and now it’s being insinuated that I’ve actually killed him. You hear that?’

She held a finger to her ear, indicating that Stella should listen. The mutter of protestors’ chants could be heard by the main entrance around the corner.

‘But that’s crazy!’ Stella said, her vehemence taking Úrsúla by surprise. ‘Nobody believes that. That’s just bullshit. You mustn’t resign.’

‘I don’t have a choice,’ she said. ‘It’s pretty much impossible to be in a worse position than having the insinuation of murder hanging over you.’

‘But you can’t resign!’ Stella said in desperation. ‘I can help you. I’ll do everything I can.’

Úrsúla stubbed out her cigarette and dropped the butt into the can they used as an ashtray. The young woman’s earnestness genuinely took her by surprise, and it warmed her heart. She spread her arms and hugged her close.

‘You’ve already helped me a lot,’ she said. ‘It’s been lovely to share smoke breaks with you.’

She planted a kiss on Stella’s cheek and stepped back inside. She hoped the rest of the staff wouldn’t take her departure so personally.

‘Is Óðinn here?’ she asked Freyja on the way back to her office. 243

‘No,’ Freyja replied. ‘He’s on holiday in Spain.’

Úrsúla was brought up short.

‘I wasn’t told he was taking any holiday,’ she said.

Freyja coughed gently, and Úrsúla knew there was no point applying any pressure to her. Undoubtedly it made little difference that ministers came and went. Freyja would always be first and foremost one of Óðinn’s staff. The permanent secretary was just that – permanent – while ministers stayed for a little while, or, as in her case, a very little while.