Elvira seemed for a moment to be pondering something. Then she said, ‘I think your plan is utterly ridiculous. But all right I’ll tell you. Somebody has to help him somehow to see the seriousness of the situation he’s in, that he must defend himself. But literally, Pauline, no one knows where Terence is except me and that secretary he’s had for a hundred years, Virginia whatever-her-name-is. It’s the only way to keep such a thing secret, nobody must know, I haven’t even told Stu. He’s hiding out in a farm near Darlington, it’s the only way he can get some peace.’

‘I’ll go this weekend,’ said Pauline, ‘there’s not much time, I must talk to him before the trial.’

‘Indeed you must,’ said Elvira dryly, ‘if you intend to be part of it.’ But something about Pauline, the red lips, the pale face, made her feel uneasy. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing Pauline,’ she said, and her tone was disapproving.

Pauline got up from the table violently.

‘Listen Elvira, listen to me.

‘For thirty years I’ve taken all the shit that Anthony has thrown at me: the affairs, the total lack of support for me as an actress, keeping the family together while he went off on his adventures, bad sex. I took it because I grew up in the nineteen-fifties and that’s what I thought wives were expected to do. But now I’m nearly fifty-seven and I want to change my life before it’s too late. I’ve thought and thought and thought about all this. I know it’s an audacious plan but why shouldn’t I be audacious? Just because I’m getting old? Are only the young allowed to be audacious? I want to be an actress again. If Terence’s rape trial goes smoothly and there’s no case to answer, fine, we can forget I ever mentioned this. If he’s in deep trouble maybe I can help him. And then he can help me, that would be the bargain. Don’t be disapproving of me Elvira, I’ll get plenty of that if I go through with this, you’re my friend, I need your help and support because I want to change my life.’ She stood there, across the table, breathing heavily and staring wildly in a way that Elvira hardly recognised.

‘And if Terence – does agree, you’ll leave Anthony?’

‘Yes yes yes.’