‘I’ll get to that.’ Jack looked over Tom’s shoulder. ‘Sorry about this. You must be Louisa. Tom’s told me about you. We’re not normally given to displays of brotherly affection, but it’s been a while.’

Seeing Jack in his home had momentarily driven everything else from Tom’s mind, and he turned slowly to face Louisa, knowing that he had left it hours – minutes – too late to tell her about his brother. She had a faint smile on her face, but her eyes were troubled, and Tom didn’t know whether to kick himself or kick Jack for turning up without notice.

‘Louisa, I’m sorry for not introducing you. As you’ve probably gathered, this is Jack. My brother.’

He waited for her response, fully expecting her to say, ‘You mean the brother you told me had died in a speedboat accident?’ But sarcasm wasn’t Louisa’s style. ‘Good to meet you, Jack.’ She paused. ‘Look, I think it’s best if I leave you guys alone so you can catch up. Tom, I’ll let myself out.’

She turned towards the door, but not before Tom had seen the distress in her eyes. And so, it seemed, had Jack, who shot Tom a look of irritation.

‘Bloody hell, Tom, you’re an idiot,’ he said quietly. ‘Louisa, please don’t go,’ he called as she walked out of the kitchen. ‘I’ll disappear for a while and let you talk to Tom. Please. This is entirely my fault. Whether or not you’ve realised it yet, my kid brother always tries to do the right thing by everybody – everybody, that is, except himself. Can I ask you to listen to what he has to say? I know how much you mean to him.’

Louisa turned back. ‘How do you know that?’

Jack glanced at Tom. ‘I’ll let him explain that, and everything that’s led us to where we are today. He will underplay his role in events, but all I can tell you is that to keep me and three other people alive – two of them children – he took a huge gamble with his career and his freedom. So at least give him the chance to demonstrate that while he might be an idiot, he’s an honourable one.’

Tom watched Louisa’s face. He could sense the indecision. He had lied to her – the one thing she said she couldn’t tolerate – and it hung in the balance whether she would stay or go right now.

Jack sauntered towards the door in that casual way he had. He pulled a key from his pocket and waved it in the air. ‘Okay if I keep your spare key for now?’