‘So were we all, once. And ever since she first came to us, June has time and again demonstrated her courage, loyalty and ingenuity in the most trying circumstances. I can think of no better candidate to fill Castor’s shoes. Nor anyone I would rather have on our side in the days ahead. I think she will make an excellent Council member.’ He looked pointedly at Ucho. ‘Don’t you?’

Ucho looked at him for a moment, then at June, and then suddenly, he smiled. ‘Well, I do, actually.’

‘Good,’ said Father. ‘It is settled, then. June,’ and he turned to her, ‘you will take on Castor’s responsibilities as of this moment.’

‘Yes, Father,’ said June slowly, her face revealing nothing.

‘Don’t look so glum, my dear,’ said Father, smiling. ‘You will do admirably, I’m certain.’

She inclined her head. ‘Thank you, Father.’

‘Well this is all very sweet,’ said Ucho, ‘but I really have to get some stuff—’

He stopped and turned around to glare at the partition, or rather at the men coming through it haltingly, the same two who had been the object of his disapproval earlier.

‘You again!’ he barked.

The clown-faced man shifted from one foot to another, looking uncomfortable. ‘Yes, sir.’

‘Scoggins, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Did I not put you on search detail five minutes ago?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘And did I not tell you what would happen if you cocked up this time?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘And would you say ignoring my orders and barging into a private meeting for the second time in five minutes can be defined, in every sense, as a cock-up?’

The man looked as unhappy as anyone Albert had ever seen. His colleague took an obtrusive step to the left to move behind him. Realizing what was happening, Scoggins moved to the left himself, just in time to deny him the sanctuary he sought. The other man looked at him pleadingly for a moment, then tried again, and once again was foiled by Scoggins’s fancy footwork. They moved together to the left, one step, then another, as if performing some strange dance, while Ucho looked at them incredulously, his mouth slightly agape, murder in his eyes, in what was easily the most convincing impersonation of a one-man lynch mob that Albert had ever seen. The dance went on, for almost half a minute, until comically, at exactly the same time, both performers looked up at Ucho’s face, which was doing an encore of its now famed ‘All The Colours There Are In Just Two Minutes’ act again, and froze where they stood.

Ucho took a deep breath. ‘If, Scoggins, you don’t have a very, very good reason for coming back here, you and your toothbrush are going to begin a very, very long relationship with every chamber pot in the barracks. Both of you!’

Scoggins of the clown face nodded unhappily. ‘Yes sir.’