Castor frowned. ‘I have already taken the liberty of having June’s seen to,’ he said. ‘Let me attend to the other. There is also something I need to discuss with you, Father. Urgently.’

‘Of course,’ said Father. ‘Walk with us, then. We shall speak after.’

‘All the better! We shall help settle the girls in together. Come on, Fritz!’

‘I just like to call him that,’ he confided in Albert, falling into step beside him. ‘Although the one good thing is he knows his place, stays a good respectful distance behind always. I can’t bear it when these fellows walk next to you, like Ucho’s men do around him. He even invites them to his table! Unbelievable!’

Albert looked sideways at the man, barely able to disguise his contempt, but decided to say nothing.

They reached the top of the stairs and turned right, walking through row after row of tents till they came to a slightly isolated spot, sheltered under an overhanging shelf of rock. Under it was a tent. ‘Check it out!’ said Theo.

‘I had thought you might want to be on the lower level,’ said Father. ‘There is place near mine, Theo. You might be more comfortable—’

‘No, I’m fine here,’ said Theo, her jaw jutting out mutinously.

‘No, Theo, Father is right,’ said Castor. ‘You should be on the valley floor, where you will be safer. Less chance of any incidents, or—’

‘Oh, shaddup,’ said Theo rudely, turning back to look at Father. ‘I’m fine here,’ she said earnestly.

Father looked at her for a moment, then nodded. ‘As you wish. Castor, would you be so kind as to show June to her tent? I will join you in a few minutes and we can speak, as you wished.’

‘Of course,’ said Castor, but his eyes still flashed angrily at Theo, who stood there, seemingly unconcerned. ‘If you wish to be dictated to by a—a spoilt infant, then there is nothing more to be said here, Father.’

After several seconds of glaring, which Theo completely failed to notice because she was now picking loose threads out of the tent, Castor perhaps realized that his ire was having no more effect on her than his advice had. He turned to look at June, flashing his pearly whites once more. ‘It is quite close. June, if you would follow me.’

She went with him and his unhappy guard, around an outcropping of rock, and then they were out of sight.

‘Where is Marcus, Theo?’ asked Father.