Winter blinked at me. ‘And you actually watch this? Regularly?’

‘It’s not about the magic,’ I said earnestly. ‘People want to see showy shebangs but they prefer it when the contestants fail spectacularly and when they fall out with each other. It’s about making good television, not about who can create the best spells, regardless of what the producers might want you to think. It’s highly entertaining. You should watch it. In any case, there’s not enough evidence from the programmes themselves to suggest what Trevor Bellows can do.’

‘Well,’ Winter said with a dismissive grunt, ‘there will be plenty of opportunity for spectacular failures and fallings-out in the Highlands of Scotland.’

‘That’s where the expedition is happening?’

He nodded. ‘I’m still working on a way to regularly debrief you.’ He reached into his pocket and took out a neatly folded map. Jabbing at what looked like a massive mountain, he started to explain. ‘Most of the filming is taking place here but there’s a small village where the crew will be based.’ Winter squinted. ‘Tomintoul. It looks like it’s pretty.’

‘It looks like it’s in the middle of nowhere.’

‘It is supposed to be the wilderness, Ivy.’

I wrinkled my nose. I’d been hoping for the sort of wilderness that involved a tropical island with swaying palm trees and butlers carrying multi-coloured drinks with mini-parasols in them. Up a freezing mountain in the Scottish Highlands didn’t sound like my kind of thing.

‘Anyway,’ Winter continued, ‘in Tomintoul, there’s a small square. Each night, at the stroke of midnight, we will meet there and you can tell me what you’ve discovered.’

‘Wait a minute,’ I said slowly. ‘You want me to start work at 5am. As a runner. I’ll be on duty for thirteen hours. And then you expect me to come and find you at midnight?’ My voice was getting higher and higher.

‘It’s the safest way.’ He checked the map again. ‘Everyone else will be tired out and sleeping by that time, so there’s no chance you’ll be seen.’

‘I’ll be tired out! I’ll need to sleep!’ I shook my head. ‘Nope. I’ve changed my mind. Get the Ipsissimus back here. I’m going to stay at home instead.’ I patted the sofa. ‘I’ll stick to the original plan and watch it from here then report in afterwards by telephone.’

The tiniest smile played around his lips. It was the first time since he’d shown up tonight that he’d looked at me with anything other than irritation, annoyance or downright disdain. ‘You did say you were willing to put in the effort.’

I growled at him. ‘I can change my mind. It’s a lady’s prerogative.’

‘Too late. We’re counting on you now, Ivy.’ There was a faintly mocking edge to his words.

I narrowed my eyes. ‘Have I done something to annoy you?’ I asked. ‘We were getting on well last time I saw you.’ I softened my voice. ‘Very well.’

‘What could you possibly do that would annoy me?’ Winter’s fleeting amusement vanished and he glanced down, pretending to inspect the map again.