‘He did make a passing reference to them,’ said Dorothea, ‘but I didn’t press him. All I wanted to talk about was the time when we could be together for good.’

‘Was Orsino a man of means?’

‘Oh, I think so. He always dressed so well.’

‘Yet, according to you, he hadn’t established himself as an actor.’

‘It was not because he lacked talent,’ insisted Dorothea. ‘I’ve never met anyone with such presence and easy command of language. He was a born actor kept off the stage by envy and spite.’

‘Are you saying that he had enemies?’ asked Paul.

‘Yes, Mr Skillen. People conspired against him.’

‘Why was that?’

‘He didn’t go into detail. Orsino simply said that he would turn the tables on them all one day by blazing across the stage in the greatest parts ever written. Also,’ Dorothea went on, ‘he was kind enough to praise my own work.’

‘And so he should,’ said Hannah. ‘You’ve done well.’

‘He even went so far as to claim that I’d have been a memorable Lady Macbeth because my performance would have had subtleties of which most actresses were not capable.’

Hannah was roused. ‘Did he not see me in the role?’ she demanded.

‘Oh, yes, and he was very impressed.’

‘Is that all?’

‘Let me go back to an earlier question,’ said Paul, jumping in before Hannah’s irritation got out of hand. ‘You don’t know where Orsino lived, or if he had a source of income, yet you were ready to entrust your future to him.’

‘He promised to look after me,’ said Dorothea, simply, ‘and I had no reason to question that. As for money, he did mention it once.’

‘What did he say?’

‘That he was about to earn a large amount for very little work.’

‘When was this?’

‘It must have been three or four days ago.’

‘And where was this money coming from?’

‘Orsino said it was from work as an actor, then he burst out laughing.’

‘Didn’t you press him for detail?’

‘No, Mr Skillen. I was simply delighted for him.’

‘Who was going to employ Orsino?’ asked Hannah.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Did he say how much money he’d be receiving?’

‘No, but he promised me that it would be a lot – enough for us to do all the things that we’d talked about.’

She smiled for the first time since they’d picked her up from her lodging. Paul and Hannah were momentarily overcome with sympathy. They knew that the promises would never be delivered now. They also suspected that Orsino Price had deceived Dorothea completely, but they were careful not to mention their suspicions. In Dorothea’s mind, Price had been her saviour and they didn’t want to tarnish that image for her. Hannah put a consoling arm around her, but Paul was still thinking about what they’d just been told.