‘Grief’s a funny thing. It makes people look for a reason, for something or someone to blame. It would’ve landed on me; I know it. Mum’s convinced the anti-sickness drugs were responsible. She’s spent years campaigning against their use but there’s no evidence they had anything to do with it. She just needs something.’ He took his hand away from hers and used it to pick at the seam of his jeans.

‘Anti-sickness drugs?’

‘She had persistent morning sickness.’

Karene placed her glass down as she processed this extra level of tragedy. ‘Your sister was pregnant?’

Harry looked away from her and out of the window, taking a moment to compose himself before he nodded.

She took his hand back. ‘What happened to the baby? Did she lose it?’

‘No. Well, not technically. She carried him to full term. Little Max. Mum named him after my dad. They delivered him by Caesarean and we all went to see him, but his scrote of a dad wasn’t interested. And mum suffers with rheumatoid arthritis so there was no way her and Dad could cope with a baby and what was happening with Lucy at the same time.’

‘He was adopted?’

‘If I’d have done something I could’ve stopped him losing his real family.’

Karene sipped her wine as she watched Harry pick apart the prawn on his plate.

‘So did you join the Navy to … escape?’

He laughed a low laugh. ‘Did I run away to sea, do you mean? I suppose I did. I wanted to do something that mattered, I guess.’

‘I’m sure she’d be very proud of you.’

His smile didn’t reach his eyes.

22

Bloom was walking across Russell Square when Karene called.

‘He’s gone, Augusta.’

‘Who?’

‘Harry.’

‘What do you mean, gone?’ Bloom stopped and stepped to the side of the path to allow a runner to pass. Was this because Karene had found him? Had he been taken once, and then taken again?

‘He was discharged from the hospital.’

‘To where? By who?’

‘The nurse says that the Navy collected him. He’s been discharged into their care. Apparently they have their own rehabilitation centre.’

Bloom stepped on to the grass and away from a woman with two large Alsatians. ‘But that’s a good thing, surely? The military rehabilitation centre will be cutting-edge.’

‘That’s not the point. They won’t let me see him. It’s a closed facility. Military only. I need to see him, Augusta. I need to help him.’

‘How convenient.’ Of course they wanted him back in their own care; this made perfect sense.

The line was quiet for a moment. ‘What do you mean?’

‘They’re closing ranks,’ said Bloom. ‘Making sure no one pokes about in their business. Maybe we shouldn’t have spoken to Rear Admiral Grey.’ She needed to sound out Jameson.