‘Noh, Alice, no problem.’

‘Someone slashed Duval’s tyres.’ I squint out of the thin slit of the corridor window. ‘He’s taking your truck home.’ Puzzled, I stare after the red tail lights. ‘Benjamín, why is he going that way? Surely you can’t get back to the main road that way?’

Benjamín moves away from the window. ‘Maybe he left something in the boarding house.’

‘Maybe,’ I agree, but I go on watching until the tail lights disappear. ‘So how were the children. Good?’

‘Oh yes, very good.’ He breaks into a grin. ‘M-E bit me.’ He holds up his finger. ‘Little M-E,’ he says fondly, as though the bite has been the highlight of his week. ‘I go home now, Alice, thank you.’ He lays his hand briefly on my arm.

‘Benjamín, wait ...’

He hesitates, foot on the top of the stairs, and I ask him the question I’ve been putting off for weeks.

‘Benjamín, you have children, don’t you? Children of your own?’

His eyes drop from mine. He touches his jaw then turns and walks slowly down the steps, and because I know the answer already I make no move to stop him.