‘I’m not. I’ll tell you something, Alice. When I was gambling and whoring in New York, and spending my nights in Green Street brothels, I thought I was one hell of a terrible devil. But since I’ve come here, and seen Congress like a nest of cuckoos, with their beaks all stretched open for bribes and favours and everything they can get, I’ve realised what an amateur I am. I’m not evangelising about them, I’m simply expressing my admiration that they have managed to sink so low without actually penetrating the earth’s crust.’

‘I hope you’re not including my father,’ said Alice, putting down her fork.

Collis looked at her fork, and then at her. ‘Would it upset you if I were?’

She thought about that. Then she picked up her fork again. ‘No, I suppose it wouldn’t. I know what he has to do to survive.’

‘All right, then,’ said Collis. ‘We’ll grant him the right to survive, even when it means watering railroad stock, and selling off land that only exists on maps.’

‘That wasn’t his fault, that land sale in Oregon. He bought the land himself from somebody’s map.’

Collis raised his hands. ‘I’m not saying it was his fault. I’m simply saying that the games they play in this city are very dirty games, and that if I’m going to get what I want, I’m going to have to learn to play them, too.’

Theodore picked flesh out of a lobster claw. ‘What Collis is trying to tell you is that we’ve lost our political virginity on this trip,’ he remarked blandly.

Alice tugged at her necklace. ‘I see. Well, I suppose I should congratulate you, after a fashion.’

‘You think I’ve changed, don’t you?’ said Collis.

Alice looked at him. ‘Yes,’ she said, in a steady voice, ‘you have.’

‘Are you sorry you asked me to escort you?’

‘Not entirely. A little.’

‘Because of Harriet Lane?’ asked Collis. ‘Or for some other reason? Something personal, perhaps?’

She was silent. Her eyes clouded like breathed-on garnets.

‘The truth is always slightly painful, isn’t it?’ she asked him.

‘Yes.’

She smiled. A hurt smile. ‘Well, then,’ she said, ‘if the truth is painful, we shall tell each other lies.’

‘All right,’ said Collis. ‘You’ve bargained well for this evening out. Let’s lie, if we must, but let’s enjoy it, for all of our lies.’

Alice looked close to tears. But Collis pushed back his chair, and stood up, and offered his hand. ‘Would you care to dance, Miss Stride?’ he asked her. ‘I would consider it an honour.’