Alton wandered up. ‘I appreciate how you feel, but don’t you think that this man’s powers go beyond the army’s ability to hold him? We could just shoot him and bury him here.’

‘Don’t be barbarous. Oh, he might get away’⁠ — the Doctor tapped his umbrella handle against his chin⁠ — ‘but what will he do? He’s got no weapons, no technology, and a life span of, what, ten more years at the most? That’s the thing about such powerful biosystems. They burn themselves out.’ His face darkened. ‘I think killing him would be far too merciful.’

‘You dog!’ Greeneye spat. ‘You took away our last chance!’

‘Did I? I only just got here.’

Hadleman tapped the Doctor’s shoulder. ‘Erm, Doctor?’

The Doctor turned, suddenly beamed and pumped Hadleman’s hand with two of his. ‘Richard Hadleman! Pleased to meet you!’

‘We’ve, ah, already met.’

‘Yes.’ The Doctor’s face fell. ‘But you shouldn’t know about that. Oh, you mean Smith. He wasn’t me. Much. If at all. What?’

Hadleman laughed, bombarded by the Doctor’s swift collection of thoughts and postures. ‘I just wanted to tell you, there’s an army convoy outside the village. We could give him to them.’

‘Yes, now the barrier’s down, that’s very apt. Very neat.’

Hutchinson had been watching the conversation, his hands on his hips. ‘I’m just wondering, Smith, or Doctor, or whatever you’re calling yourself, how you’re going to answer to that same convoy for what you did to the school.’

‘Me? I’m going to answer in the same way I answer every message that I don’t want to hear. I’m not going to be at home.’ He flipped up a finger and pressed a spot above the boy’s nose. ‘Now fall over.’

Hutchinson did, out cold. Anand and Merryweather looked down at the body, then shook hands.

Smith glanced around the group. ‘Well, I’ll leave it to you two’⁠ — he indicated Alexander and Hadleman⁠ — ‘to hand our villain over to the authorities; tell them he mustn’t eat meat, by the way. And you boys can take yourselves down to the bakery in town.’ He threw a bagful of coins on to the ground. ‘That’s a train fare home, a bun and probably a hug each… Then we can go home.’

Bernice peered at him, but decided not to mention it at the moment. She went to Alexander and Hadleman. ‘I hope you’ll be very happy,’ she told them. ‘If Alex’s womanising doesn’t get in the way.’

‘Your what?’ Hadleman frowned.

‘My protestations…’ the bearded man muttered. ‘They may have been a little too successful.’

‘And have you considered an American holiday?’ asked Bernice. ‘Very soon?’

Alexander kissed her cheek. ‘We won’t run away, loved one. Give my regards to the future.’