She should edge along to the pew’s other end and get out, but she was excruciatingly tired. She had nowhere to go. He would follow her. Walk up and down at her side, perhaps politely take her arm. How much grey sunlight could he really stand? She could only rely on that, his wearying before she did. And she suspected he would not weary.

‘You must let me go,’ she said.

‘Why?’

‘You’ve no right to try to stop me. I’ll go to the police if I have to.’ She thought of the helpful policeman who had told her the wrong day for the train.

‘I’m not going to drag you away,’ he said, ‘kicking and screaming, by the hair. If I hurt you, it would be in other ways.’

The inside of her body pulsed and moved, leaving the outside a thin cold integument, stranded.

‘Shut up,’ she said. ‘Don’t talk to me.’

He sat in silence, calm, every aspect larger, towering, almost as in the uncontrolled moments in the upper room. Not quite.

She said, ‘I really am going to leave. Do you hear me.’

‘I’m allowed to speak?’

‘I can’t stop you.’

‘No, you can’t really. If you leave, you leave. Where are you staying?’

‘As if I’d tell you.’

‘You’ve checked out of one hotel and have yet to find another.’

‘You—were following me?’

‘No, Rachaela. It’s obvious, isn’t it? You checked out, or even ran away without paying your bill for all I know, in order to take the train. But the train didn’t materialize. And here you are sitting in the church with two bags.’

‘If you come after me I’ll do something to prevent you.’

‘That might be entertaining. It’s all right. I won’t come after you. I’ll sit here and let you get away. I’ll stay an hour, you look as if you can only move at a crawl.’

‘Another game. Hide your eyes, and then try to find me. You won’t.’

‘I won’t try. After all, I need only find out the day of the proper train and waylay you again on the platform.’

‘Do it. See what happens.’

‘Nothing would happen. I’d kiss your cheek and you’d wave me goodbye through the window. Brief Encounter.’

Rachaela tried to slow her breathing. She was desperately excited. She wanted to strike at him.

‘You’re saying then that when I walk out of the church I’m on my own.’

‘Completely.’

‘Free of the Scarabae.’

‘No, you’ll never be free of the Scarabae. You’re one of us. That goes with you. And that will bring you back.’

‘Live in that hope.’

‘I know from my own self. I got away. I came back. You’re already tainted. It’s too late.’