Howard cleared his throat and rose. ‘While I understand why Ben doesn’t want to see me today, I can’t just leave it at that.’

‘I did not expect it that you would. It was however necessary to prepare you.’

But there was no such thing. Even if Howard had seen this final blow coming its effects could have been no less devastating.

‘The playroom is at the head of the stairs,’ Lisl told him, ‘and I shall let you go alone.’

Howard slowly made his way there, his heart heavy. He could hear on the other side of the door, to which was pinned a cardboard bunny that seemed to be leering at him, the sound of a tin drum being bashed. And who but Ben was doing the bashing?

He forced himself to open the door. What was he afraid of? Rejection had already been dealt him. The drum, together with a stream of German, was hurled at him. A toy truck and more abuse in the language now his son’s followed and Howard simply could not handle it.

He groped his way down the stairs and out of the house, pain replacing the merciful numbness, his eyes blinded by tears and with him the picture of an angry little boy venting his feelings upon the person he held responsible for his unhappiness.

Had Karin not been in Munich that weekend, Howard would surely have headed for the nearest beer cellar and got himself drunk.

When he walked into the flat, which in some respects resembled an office, she was at her desk compiling a report and switched off the word processor when she saw his face.

‘Why is Ben not with you? What has happened?’

‘The answer to both questions, Karin, is my son has sent me packing.’

‘A six-year-old boy cannot do that to his father.’

‘I wouldn’t have thought so myself.’

‘And if he does, the father does not have to accept it. Take off your coat, Howard. It is soaked from the rain.’

‘I didn’t notice the rain.’

‘In Munich it rains often.’

‘But I wouldn’t know that, would I?’ Howard answered, divesting himself of the soggy garment.

‘Your hair is dripping water on to your collar!’ Karin went to fetch a towel.

Howard usually took a bus from the leafy suburb in which Christina lived, or hailed a passing cab. Today he had plodded his way to Karin’s downtown flat on foot, seeing and hearing nothing. Like a zombie, he thought now, that deadened feeling with him again.

Karin handed him the towel and draped his coat and muffler on a chair near the radiator, to dry them off.