‘Do you?’ he said. ‘That’s nice. He is quite good, of course, though a little creaky at times, don’t you feel? And then, all those mannerisms! He can’t play an emotional bit, you know, without sucking in his breath rather loudly. But he really is good in a magnificent Mrs Beeton sort of way. A recipe for everything and only the best ingredients used.’

‘Mr Ancred,’ Troy said, ‘what is all this about?’

‘Well, it’s part of the build-up. It’s supposed to make you see things in a different light. The great British actor painted by the great British artist, don’t you know? And although I don’t suppose you’d like Ancreton much it might amuse you to see it. It’s very baronial. The portrait would hang under the minstrels’ gallery with special lighting. He doesn’t mind what he pays. It’s to commemorate his seventy-fifth birthday. His own idea is that the nation ought to have given it to him, but as the nation doesn’t seem to have thought of that he’s giving it to himself. And to posterity of course,’ Thomas added as an afterthought, cautiously slipping his finger inside his loosened shoe.

‘If you’d like me to suggest one or two painters who might—’

‘Some people prick blisters,’ said Thomas, ‘but I don’t. No, thank you, they’ve made a second-best list. I was telling you about Ancreton. You know those steel engravings of castles and halls in Victorian books? All turrets and an owl flying across the moon? That’s Ancreton. It was built by my great-grandfather. He pulled down a nice Queen Anne house and erected Ancreton. There was a moat but people got diphtheria so it was let go and they’re growing vegetables in it. The food is quite good, because there are lots of vegetables, and Papa cut down the Great East Spinney during the war and stored the wood, so there are still fires.’

Thomas smiled at his hostess. He had a tentative sidelong smile. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘that’s Ancreton. I expect you’d hate it, but you couldn’t help laughing.’

‘As I’m not going, however—’ Troy began with a rising sense of panic.

But Thomas continued unmoved. ‘And then, of course, there’s the family. Well! Papa and Millamant and Pauline and Panty to begin with. Are you at all keen on the emotions?’

‘I haven’t an idea what you mean.’