Clover stared at him, feeling a rising tide of horror. ‘Cory always said he would stop at nothing . . . Kit knew that by sleeping with him, I would be betraying Cory. He was my friend and I’ve just had sex with his enemy. With the very man responsible for . . .’ She couldn’t finish the sentence. Tears filled her eyes. ‘It’s the ultimate betrayal. Even if Kit didn’t plan this outright, he’ll know what this means for the film.’

Nobody rushed to fill the silence. She’d been played and they all knew it, for how could she sit opposite him and interview him now?

‘Bastard!’ Clover cried, beginning to pace, her heart pounding all over again. ‘Bastard! That’s why he did it!’

Johnny watched her walk in looping figures of eight. ‘Okay, well look, even say it was – you don’t have to let him get away with it. If he assumes you’re just going to run out of here from shame . . . Then do the opposite. Call his bluff and face him down. Brazen it out. You can be sure that’s what he’ll be doing!’

She stared back at him. She knew it was true. He would. ‘But I can’t . . . He’ll have told them – Ari and Beau.’

‘So? You’ve told us.’

Was he right? Was this going to come down to a matter of nerve?

She looked at Matty. ‘. . . And to think I’ve spent the past couple of weeks trying to keep you and Julian on the right side of professional!’ She gave a mildly hysterical laugh that looked like it might slide back into tears. ‘And I ended up being the one to cross enemy lines!’

Matty and Johnny swapped looks. She was flip-flopping like a landed fish, not knowing which way to go.

‘Okay, here’s what you’re going to do,’ Johnny said, taking charge. ‘You’re going to go up there right now and act like it never happened.’

‘What? N—’

‘Yes. And if anyone says anything – either directly or indirectly – just shrug it off. Don’t deny it, but say it was nothing. Heat of the moment. A mistake. Boredom. PTSD, whatever you like. Just don’t invest it with any emotional significance whatsoever.’

She blinked. ‘Well, that’ll be easy enough. Because there wasn’t.’

‘Good. So we’ll start now, then, and go up there.’

‘No!’

‘Yes. Just get it done. The first time seeing him will be the hardest – he’ll be looking to see how you react, so give him nothing. Less than nothing.’ He headed for the door. ‘We’ll ask Carlotta for some tea and cakes, then come straight back down here. Boom, done, the worst bit will be out of the way.’