‘It’s been fantastic to meet you, sir.’ My fickle husband, so easily turned. ‘Guess we’re going to have to call a cab.’ James looked ruefully at his empty glass. I bit my lip. He had promised he would drive.

‘Please,’ Hadi Kattan took my hand, ‘Danny Callendar can take you home. I am sorry you did not get to meet Ash. Next time, perhaps.’

‘Oh no, that’s fine, honestly,’ I said quickly. ‘Thank you, but a cab’s fine.’

‘Please, Mrs Miller,’ Kattan’s voice was silky, ‘I insist.’ He pressed his warm lips to my cold hand.

Waiting on the front steps, I shivered: the sudden drop in temperature pervading my bones.

‘Something’s not right here,’ I muttered to James. ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but something’s not right.’

‘Rubbish.’ My husband shrugged himself into his leather coat and switched on his phone. ‘He’s a charming bastard, I’ll give him that.’

I thought of Kattan’s lips on my hand and shuddered. ‘All that stuff about women and guns, for Christ’s sake. It’s like the bloody dark ages. It’s like the bloody Taliban.’

‘For Christ sake, Rose,’ James’s cheerful demeanour dissolved, ‘you sound like that BNP bloke on the news the other day.’

‘I don’t.’ I was appalled. ‘I just – I don’t trust men like Kattan, and I’ve met a few. All smiles on the surface and bigotry beneath.’

‘You sound rather bigoted yourself, petal. You’re always looking for the worst in people.’

‘I’m not. I just look for the truth.’ I thought of the painting in the bedroom; I remembered James’s recent terrible nightmare. All these events were conspiring to bring back memories I’d suppressed for so long. I wondered whether I dare say it. ‘James—’

‘What?’ He was more interested in his phone.

‘It’s very odd. I just saw a picture, a painting upstairs.’

‘So? The whole house is full of bloody paintings.’

‘It really looked like Huriyyah,’ I whispered.

I definitely had his attention now.

‘For fuck’s sake!’ His dark eyes were furious. ‘I actually had a good evening for once. Don’t ruin it now with your stupid imaginings.’

‘I don’t think I was imagining it,’ I protested quietly. ‘It really gave me a jolt.’

‘Just shut up, OK.’ He rounded on me. ‘OK?’

‘OK.’ I was taken aback by the force of his anger as the Range Rover pulled up beside us.

Grit and cut grass stung my eyes, and my hair lashed my face painfully as the helicopter finally landed, great blades chopping the air. James shoved me into the car and swung in beside me. ‘Cheers, mate,’ he yelled over the din. ‘This definitely saves us a wait.’

My heart sinking, I caught the fair man’s eye in the mirror and looked away as he raised an eyebrow, a very faint grin playing on his face.