Not, it seemed, that Ruby had any fear of being judged, because she laughed like she was humouring an indifferent joke. “Firstly,” she said, “he’s at university. This is a holiday job for him and, murders aside, I suspect he thinks it’s going rather well. Secondly. Did you miss the part where I’m a professional criminal? I’ve just stolen over a million pounds from a man who will kill me if he catches me; I’m not about to baulk at breaking the half-your-age-plus-seven rule.”

“Does everybody in your line of work brag as much as you do?” The hostility in Hanna’s voice was spilling over just slightly into sexual tension. Or maybe that was Liza projecting. Or Ruby’s studied air of weaponised sexuality.

“All of us. It’s how people know we’re good at our jobs.”

Liza thought about that for a second. “People don’t just think you’re lying?”

“It’s sort of circular.” The smile on Ruby’s lips was just this edge of mocking. “If I’m good enough at my job to get away with lying to powerful, dangerous people about how good I am, then I’m not actually lying at all.”

With an aggrieved sigh, Hanna slumped against the wall. “Are you ever going to get to the point, or are you hoping that one of us will agree to fuck you because it’ll be quicker than talking to you?”

“You know, you’d be amazed how often that works.”

Hanna’s gaze swept over Ruby, who had maintained her lounge flawlessly. “After this conversation, I really wouldn’t.”

“Perhaps,” Liza offered, “you could just tell us the new thing you’ve found out. Or, better still, the new thing you’ve found out and all the things you’re refusing to tell us because you insist on this whole international-woman-of-mystery routine.”

Ruby looked genuinely disappointed. “You know, sometimes you’re no fun at all. I blame her.” She indicated Hanna with a nod. “She’s clearly a bad influence.”

Hanna just glared back. “Stop wasting our time.”

“Oh, fine.” There were, Liza was realising, few people who could pout quite as well as Ruby. “I thought you might be interested to know that the young footman argued quite violently with Mr Ackroyd a couple of nights ago. Mr Burgh is in a terrible panic about it. He’s worried that one of his staff killed a guest.”

“Sorry, which of them did you seduce for this information?” The moment Liza asked she knew she’d regret it.

“Why”—Ruby raised an eyebrow—”does it have to be which?”

Hanna, who was generally all for sex positivity but drew the line at sex positivity that was directly aimed at seducing her wife, did her best to change the subject. “And that was it? That was the big come-to-my-room-alone reveal?”