Ellis shook his head.

‘They don’t know you’ve gone, do they?’

Ellis shook his head.

‘It’s a chargeable offence – leaving without a doctor’s permission. Would you like me to put in a good word for you at the hearing?’

‘Would you like your testicles to benefit from an action replay?’

Parrish appeared to shrivel slightly. ‘Not just at the moment.’

Ellis let himself out.

For a while, Luke lay looking up at the ceiling and then reached over and called up Ms Steel.

‘Good evening, Ms Steel.’

She didn’t waste time with pleasantries. ‘What do you want?’

‘I’m doing really badly, my life has gone right down the pan, I’m in considerable pain and I thought this news would brighten your day.’

‘It certainly has, Mr Parrish. This is unexpectedly thoughtful of you.’

‘And I wondered if you could do something for me.’

‘Mr Parrish, you should be aware that I work for your father and not for you.’

‘I’m perfectly well aware of that, Ms Steel. I’ve chosen you because you loathe and despise me.’

‘And in full knowledge of my deep and abiding contempt for you, you want me to do what, exactly?’

He told her. It took quite a long time and afterwards there was an even longer silence.

‘Ms Steel? Are you still there?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh. I thought you might have forgotten to pay the phone bill or something and they’d cut you off.’

‘You want me to do this for you?’

‘Well, I don’t expect you to do it personally. Bit below your pay grade, don’t you think? I thought you’d despatch a minion.’

‘No,’ she said slowly. ‘I’ll do it myself. Just so I’m sure of my facts – exactly how much do you send her every month?’

He told her.

‘Luke – Mr Parrish – that’s nearly half of your current monthly income.’

‘Well, it wasn’t when I started.’

‘But it is now.’

‘Yes, but to use the popular phrase – I’ve started so I’ll finish.’

There was a long pause. He could hear her tapping her pencil on the desk and suddenly lost his nerve. ‘Sorry, Ms Steel – you must have a lot on. Forget it.’

‘No – I’m sorry. Tapping is a bad habit of mine when I’m thinking. Yes, I will present your case and I’ll do my best, but Luke . . .’

‘I know,’ he said, ‘and if she doesn’t want to know, then I’ll just have to live with it. But thanks in advance for trying. Incidentally, I’m not advocating you keeping any secrets from the old man, but if you could avoid mentioning this unless actually asked, I’d be grateful.’

‘You’d rather he didn’t know?’

‘Well, he does know about Orduroy, doesn’t he? That’s why I’m here. Under the yoke, so to speak.’

‘I mean about your intentions.’