‘Oh yes, you did, Luke. You begged me. You pleaded with me. You’re so desperate to get out of the Time Police that you deliberately got me pregnant so you’d have to marry me. The Time Police won’t take married officers so we’d both be discharged. Which was what you wanted.’

‘Are you telling me – all this . . . you and me . . . the last few weeks . . . ?’

‘Well, yes, Luke. I really thought you would have worked it out by now.’

‘Worked what out?’

‘We both get what we want this way. You’re out of the Time Police and I’m set up for life.’

‘I am not marrying you.’

‘Well, it won’t be forever, Luke. In fact, I doubt it’ll last longer than six months. You’re very shallow, you know. And immature. And selfish. And full of shit. And, sadly for you, you’re up against the one person in the world who’s even more shallow and selfish than you are. Who’d have thought?’

‘I’m not paying you a penny.’

‘Oh, you will, Luke, you will. Your father will see to that. He dumped you in the Time Police to escape more scandal and here you are – barely three months later – with a pregnant colleague. A pregnant colleague you’re determined to abandon. And your reputation counts against you. Since you’ve been here there’s been that nurse . . . that Records clerk . . . that blonde in Logistics – really, Luke, you don’t do yourself any favours, do you?’

‘Smith – be clear. I shall fight you every inch of the way. Your own reputation is hardly spotless, is it?’

‘Luke. Give in gracefully. This will happen.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Well, I do.’ Jane shivered at the malignancy in Smith’s voice. ‘I’ll tell the world you raped me. You’ll be the entitled rich boy who thinks he can have anything or anyone he wants. I imagine your father will have something to say to you about that.’

His voice was cold with contempt. ‘I think it’s far more likely the world will say you raped me.’

There was a moment’s silence. Jane just had time to wonder if Smith had actually stormed off when the sound of a slap rang out, echoing along the corridor. By the sound of it she’d really given him one. Then a silence, lasting so long that Jane wondered if he was actually still conscious. Then he appeared round the corner, white with rage and with a huge red mark down one side of his face, striding so swiftly and so furiously along the corridor that he failed to see Jane at all. She tried to step back into the library but her fumbling hand failed to find the door handle behind her. His shoulder knocked against hers, sending her sprawling back against the door, and a moment later he was gone. Around the corner and out of sight.