‘Of course you are. Of course you are. To your friend up there.’ He pointed towards the house.

So she had been betraying Nick to someone – and that person was here. ‘Where is he?’

‘Oh, where he always is now. The card room, making everyone think he owns the place, not me.’ He closed his eyes and shook his head at the last words, then his eyes flicked open and his head burst up from the armrest. He stayed there searching what he could see of my face before slowly sinking back. I guessed that he was going to pass out any minute.

‘What exactly does Nick know?’

‘Hmmm?’ He seemed to be slipping into unconsciousness.

‘What does he know?’ I repeated it more strongly.

He looked confused. His brow furrowed and his arm lifted up towards me. His fingers closed on my mask and began to pull it; I snatched them away, holding it in place. He sighed and seemed to drift away again. Then, without warning, he sprang at me, ripping away my mask. I grabbed for it, but it was too late. He fell back, agog. ‘Who are you?’ he drawled.

I thought perhaps I could shock him into sobriety. ‘Jane Cawson. Nick’s second wife.’

‘Where’s Lorelei?’ he asked.

‘She died. It was an accident.’

‘Died?’ He reached for a glass full of dark liquid – brandy, I guessed – which he poured into his mouth. ‘My God, I didn’t know.’

‘She drowned in the bath. I’m here in her place,’ I said. ‘You can talk to me just like you talk to her.’ He drained his glass and I put my hand on his shoulder. ‘I need to know how Lorelei was selling Nick out.’

He waved towards the house. ‘Ask him, not me. Card room.’ I shook him again.

‘Adam?’

‘Please leave me.’ He was so drunk that he couldn’t even open his eyes and he folded into himself. A couple sat down on the chaise-longue next to him, laughing between themselves. I thought it best to go.

I walked over to Jeremy, whose mouth was a pit of fruit seeds and mush. ‘Look after Adam,’ I said.

‘Utterly sloshed again? Yes, he does that,’ he replied, lifting a peach from a tray and biting into it. ‘Why don’t you stay here for a while? I’m a little bit bored with the company, to tell you the truth. There’s only so much time you can spend watching idiots lose a month’s salary on the roulette wheel. I just come for the food nowadays.’ I couldn’t help but think how many coupons I would need just for what he had eaten in the last few minutes.

‘Who’s in the card room?’ I asked.

‘The card room? No idea. Take a look. It’s upstairs.’