He was a big man. As tall as Luke but much bulkier. Here, however, was the same hair, the same eyes. This was Luke as he would be in thirty years’ time. Here also was the same air of being slightly better than everyone else, strengthened and enhanced by considerably more than thirty years’ strong evidence that he was, in fact, a great deal better than everyone else. He was what Luke Parrish would be after thirty years of ensuring the world gave him everything he wanted whenever he wanted it.

Jane was looking from one to the other, making the inevitable comparisons – as was everyone in the room – and she could see Luke didn’t like it. His old Parrish expression was back. Condescension mixed with light amusement. The one that made everyone he met want to kick him. He hadn’t inherited it from his father, she realised. His father was the cause of it.

Commander Hay rose politely. ‘Mr Parrish, good afternoon. I’m in the middle of a meeting at the moment . . .’

Giving people moments was not something that Mr Parrish senior did. He’d built a massive commercial empire by not giving people moments. In a voice accustomed to annihilating boardroom mutinies at birth, he said, ‘I shan’t take up too much of your time, Commander.’

Commander Hay hadn’t fought in the Time Wars for nothing. ‘No – you won’t. Captain Farenden will show you where to wait.’

Raymond Parrish was not a fool. Unbending slightly, he smiled. ‘I beg your pardon, Commander. I can see you’re busy, but I think I can save you some time here. Luke – get your stuff.’

‘Eh? Why?’

‘Your time here is up.’

Luke’s voice was light and amused but his eyes were suddenly wary. ‘Actually, Dad, tiny mistake. I still have time to serve.’

Parrish senior shook his head. ‘No, you don’t. I’ve just discovered you’ve pulled yourself together and you’re making an allowance to the Tannhausers. No need for you to do that. I’ll speak to Ms Steel and have the payments transferred from your account to mine. And I’ll bump it up a bit, so they won’t have any redress in the future.’

‘Actually, Dad . . .’

‘Luke, you’re cured.’

The sudden silence was absolute and then, in the voice with which Major Ellis and every other training officer in the Time Police was only too familiar, Luke said lightly, ‘Sorry, sir. Not with you.’

‘You’ve learned your lesson,’ he said impatiently. ‘Come to heel.’

‘Come to heel?’

Parrish senior gestured around. ‘This wasn’t serious, boy. This was just to teach you a lesson. Which, I’m happy to say, thanks to me, you appear to have learned.’

‘Dad . . .’