‘You didn’t come here to talk about the play, did you?’

‘Yes, I did, Miss Granville.’

‘There’s no need to lie to me, Dorothea. I’m your friend. I want to help.’

‘Thank you …’

‘Is it Mr Sylvester? I’ve noticed the way he looks at you. Give him his due. He was a fine Banquo but he’s well known for pestering female members of the cast.’

‘This is nothing to do with Mr Sylvester.’

‘Then what’s troubling you?’

‘Nothing,’ said Dorothea, jumping to her feet. ‘I must go. It’s dreadful of me to burden you with my worries. I do apologise.’

‘I thought you trusted me.’

‘I do, Miss Granville. You’ve been so kind to me.’

‘Then please trespass on that kindness,’ said Hannah, rising to her feet. ‘Tell me what really brought you here today and don’t insult my intelligence by trying to fob me off with lies.’

‘Oh, I’d never do that.’

‘Then tell me the truth.’ There was a long pause. ‘It’s about a man, isn’t it?’

Dorothea nodded. ‘Yes, it is …’

‘Well, if it’s not Mr Sylvester, it must be Mr Garland and that, I must confess, is a surprise to me. His preference in the past has always been for slender youths with fair hair and ready smiles. What has Mr Garland done to you?’

‘Nothing at all,’ said Dorothea with an edge of desperation.

‘Then what is going on?’

It was too much for the young actress. Lower lip trembling as she battled to control her emotions, she suddenly burst into tears and threw herself into Hannah’s arms.

CHAPTER TWELVE

It was time to collect his earnings. When the assassin had been hired, he was paid a quarter of his fee beforehand with the rest to follow after a couple of days. Since he wasn’t permitted to know the identity of the person who provided the money, he had worked through an intermediary. The man had seemed trustworthy and promised that the balance of the money would be handed over at a specific time. All that the assassin had to do was to wait at the meeting place and the intermediary would walk past and slip a bag surreptitiously into his hand. It would contain enough money to fulfil an ambition of his to visit Paris for months on end. Now that the war was over, the French capital had a strange allure for him. Its main advantage was that it was a long way from the place where he’d shot Sir Roger Mellanby and was now being hunted for murder.

When his full fee was paid, he would be rich, happy and able to sail away from London until it was safe for him to return there. He could then go in search of a fresh commission to put someone to death.