‘Don’t I? No, well – I’m not altogether. When we were making the props Jeremy used to talk incessantly about the glove. He’s got a real fixation on the ownership business, hasn’t he? It really is almost a kink, don’t you feel? Harry was saying something the other day about after all the value of those kinds of jobs was purely artificial and fundamentally rather silly. If he was trying to get a rise out of Jeremy, he certainly succeeded. Jeremy was livid. I thought there’d be a punch-up before we were through. Perry, what’s the matter? Have I been beastly?’

‘No, no. Of course not.’

‘I have,’ she said contritely. ‘He’s a great friend and I’ve been talking about him as if he’s a specimen. I am sorry.’

‘You needn’t be. I know what he’s like. Only I do wish he hadn’t done this.’

Peregrine walked over to the window and stared across the river towards The Dolphin. Last night, he thought, only sixteen hours ago, in that darkened house, a grotesque overcoat had moved in and out of shadow. Last night – He looked down into the street below. There from the direction of the bridge came a ginger head, thrust forward above heavy shoulders and adorned, like a classic ewer, with a pair of outstanding ears.

‘Here he comes,’ Peregrine said. ‘They haven’t run him in as yet it seems.’

‘I’ll take myself off.’

‘No, you don’t. I’ve to drop this stuff at the Yard. Come with me. We’ll take the car and I’ll run you home.’

‘Haven’t you got things you ought to do? Telephonings and fussings. What about Trevor?’

‘I’ve done that. No change. Big troubles with Mum. Compensation. It’s Greenslade and Winty’s headache, thank God. We want to do what’s right and a tidy bit more but she’s out for the earth.’

‘Oh, dear.’

‘Here’s Jer.’

He came in looking chilled and rather sickly. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know you had – Oh hallo, Em.’

‘Hallo, Jer.’

‘I’ve told her,’ Peregrine said.

‘Thank you very much.’

‘There’s no need to take it grandly, is there?’

‘Jeremy, you needn’t mind my knowing. Truly.’

‘I don’t in the least mind,’ he said in a high voice. ‘No doubt you’ll both be surprised to learn I’ve been released with a blackguarding that would scour the hide off an alligator.’

‘Surprised and delighted,’ Peregrine said. ‘Where’s the loot?’

‘At the Yard.’

Jeremy stood with his hands in his pockets as if waiting for something irritating to occur.