‘Because,’ and his face took on a blankness I remembered for a moment, ‘I suppose, if I’m honest, because he humiliated me in front of all those people. At the Union that night. And she was around, abandoned by Ash, most of the time, for all his anger – at all the parties in London, hungry for oblivion, already an addict. Easy to persuade.’

I remembered her, utterly insensate, I remembered Brian between her legs. I felt like someone was scooping out my insides.

‘And my father liked Ash, too much,’ Dalziel muttered. ‘My father and Hadi were in cahoots for most of the eighties – till it all went wrong over the oil deal. And my father’s undying bloody respect,’ he was paler now than before, ‘his respect for the high-achieving Ash? Well, that hurt.’

‘Is Ash –’ my brain was whirring – ‘is Ash your brother too?’

For a moment I thought Dalziel might cry. ‘What do you think?’ he whispered.

I thought of those eyes, the steely ambition, the photo of the parents. ‘I’d say it was quite likely.’

‘And you’d be right, my Rose.’

‘And so the whole Huriyyah thing? Was that just to get at Ash – at your own half-brother?’

‘I suppose so, yes. But, look, she was as lost as me – Huriyyah. As lost as I was, before I found God.’

‘Oh Christ, you didn’t.’ I stared at him. In the old days, he would have laughed, but his face was still blank. ‘Have you really?’

‘I always knew I would, I think. That was my path. There is such a thin line between Lucifer, the light bringer, and our Maker. It’s been my salvation.’

I looked at him carefully, still expecting him to turn and laugh at my naivety.

‘That’s why I thought we should meet here, Rose. At Heaven’s gate.’

I thought of the psalm on the note. Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Atonement for his sins. He was deadly serious, I realised. Not worry beads in his hand, but a rosary. I found it painful to hear him now.

Downstairs, Evensong was beginning. We would have to leave soon.

‘Where do you live?’ I still couldn’t believe he was here. ‘Back in London?’

‘What, with my dear father? Hardly, Rose.’ He leaned back and looked up into the great dome. Into the void. ‘I live in a mission in Caracas most of the time. Occasionally I retreat to the family farm. My father wouldn’t have me, to be honest. Not here. Not any more.’ Dalziel looked so sad. So sad I had to turn away. ‘I wasn’t allowed near the kids. Far too untrustworthy. That was the deal.’

That bed in the hotel room was vivid in my mind now. The snowy pillows, the small dark head. ‘I suppose,’ I murmured, ‘I suppose that’s understandable.’

He looked at me. ‘Is that what you suppose, my lovely Rose?’