Breisch didn’t seem surprised, merely nodded his head fractionally. ‘I wish you well, Lucas. You exceeded my expectations.’ Then he turned and walked back to join the crowds waiting for the contest to start.

McDade, now finished with his preliminary announcements, jumped down from the marshal’s platform and headed over to Corso.

‘Senator,’ he acknowledged with a nod.

‘Mr McDade, I hear you worked quite hard for the chance to be marshal tonight.’

McDade met Corso’s gaze easily. ‘We may not agree on many things, Senator, but you still deserve the same chance to fight for what you believe in as do any of the rest of us. I can’t say I’ll be sorry if you lose, but any man prepared to walk into a combat ring deserves respect, whether or not he walks back out of it.’

‘Jarret’s a known killer. He’s murdered people who didn’t have a chance of beating him. Are you sure he deserves that level of respect?’

Corso watched as McDade fought to control his temper. ‘The Senate floor’s the place for debate, Mr Corso,’ he replied tautly, his manner suddenly much more formal. ‘I’m here in my official capacity as judge and marshal of this challenge, to offer you your final opportunity to back down.’

Corso listened as McDade continued with the familiar litany: ‘You may stand down from this challenge, with honour, while waiving your rights to your Senate seat and your family’s inheritance. If you decline to do so, the challenge will not end until either yourself or Senator Jarret is formally pronounced deceased. Do you agree to such terms of challenge?’

‘I agree to the stated terms, Mr McDade. I am both willing and of sound mind, and wish to challenge Senator Jarret to a duel to the death.’

McDade looked over at Kenley. ‘Will you attest that you have heard and witnessed Senator Corso’s decision?’

‘I attest to the Senator’s decision, and uphold his right to participate,’ Kenley responded.

McDade nodded. ‘Good luck, Senator,’ he said finally to Corso, then glanced briefly over at Jarret, with a small smile curling up the corners of his mouth. ‘Because you’re going to need it this time.’

Corso stared back at him calmly, watching as McDade turned on his heel and went over to read the same terms to Jarret.

‘How did it ever happen?’ he asked Kenley, over the din of music and voices. ‘How did they turn me into one of them?’

Kenley shrugged. ‘You said yourself, the only way to beat them was at their own game. Besides, the way you’re going, most of the opposition is going to wind up dead before long.’