‘Did Christopher know anybody involved?’

‘No. Not that he would have told me if he had. But I know Christopher won’t have any personal experience of it. Far too upright to get himself entangled in that sort of thing.’

‘You make him sound dull.’

‘Do l? I didn’t mean to.’

They were walking along the Thames Embankment, taking a lunchtime stroll. Like previous days in this unusually mild March, the weather was set fair, with little wind and spells of sunshine that were strong enough to warm the back of your neck. Sarah stopped and leaned over the granite wall of the riverbank, looking down at the muddy water.

‘I think he’s rather lonely. Such a waste.’

Gary leaned on the wall next to her. ‘I reckon you’ve got rather a soft spot for the good doctor.’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I just thought he was too good to be on his own, that’s all.’

‘Like me.’

She glanced at him. ‘Was that a question or a statement?’

‘Not sure.’

‘Are you fishing, Mr Flynn?’ She looked down at the river. ‘Because you won’t catch much in this water.’

‘Just because it looks a bit murky doesn’t mean it’s not full of hidden treasure, you know. You can’t always go on appearances; you should know that in our job.’

Sarah turned to look at him and leaned back on the wall. ‘What, exactly, are you trying to say?’

Gary remained staring at the water. ‘Just that sometimes things change almost without you noticing them. This river used to be one of the dirtiest in Europe. It couldn’t support a single fish. Now it’s one of the cleanest, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that just by looking at it. Appearances can be deceptive.’

‘I see. So you think a leopard can change its spots?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far. But spots can fade, can’t they?’

‘I’d like to believe that, but I’m not sure I can.’

He turned to her. ‘Come home with me tonight.’

‘No. Not tonight.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I can’t come home with you every night.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because…because it’s all so sudden. All so quick. I need time.’

‘But I thought…’

‘Gary, I’m not saying “no” full stop. I’m just saying…don’t rush me. That’s all.’

Christopher had thought that he would take Maria to the Hotel du Vin in Winchester. It was smart in that shabby-chic sort of way, with a warm atmosphere. There was always a good buzz of conversation, plenty of people to watch and enough tables in corners to allow them to be tucked away.

Instead, he found himself being taken out by Maria. ‘You took me to the opera, so it’s only fair that I should take you out to supper.’

‘Only if I can pay,’ had been his response.

‘Certainly not,’ had been hers.