She folds her arms and frowns. ‘Ralph.’

‘Harriet, darling, I’ve been trying to see you for these past days. You look…’

‘I look, what, Ralph? Insulted? Confused? Foolish?’

He takes a step back.

‘Clearly, the two of you will have matters to discuss.’ Gerald takes control of the situation, in a smooth voice. ‘But for now, Harriet, you should sit down.’

He leads her to a seat and lowers her into it. She looks out – and up – at the men in the room. For the first time in her life, she wishes her mother were present.

Ralph reaches into his jacket and finds his cigarettes.

She wonders where her mother is. Out. Or still in bed.

Gerald clears his throat as if preparing to address a meeting. ‘We have experienced a difficult forty-eight hours. Certain matters have come to light that would have been better kept hidden from public scrutiny. The important thing is that we stand together, and we stand firm.’

‘Peter Lazenby’s nightclub has closed – temporarily, probably – which will take some of the heat away,’ MacKenzie says. ‘Lazenby himself has gone to ground for now and will stay quiet. I’ve spoken with him myself earlier today and he’s given assurances. We have arrested a number of drug dealers, along with several women who worked out of the club, and some of the notorious Elephant gang who were carrying stolen goods to various locations around London.’

‘I see,’ Harriet says tightly. ‘And what of the others? The connected and titled men mentioned by the newspapers who have supported and made money off the back of such illegal business practices?’ She doesn’t look at Ralph.

MacKenzie straightens his back. ‘There is very little to connect the criminal activity taking place in the club with anyone of significance. You should be glad of that.’

Little to connect. The police are not investigating further, he means.

‘Indeed, we shall probably find that Mr Lazenby himself is only partially aware of what has been happening under his nose. Gentlemen like him can be very naïve, trusting.’

Harriet cannot believe what she is hearing. ‘Peter Lazenby is at the centre of it, inspector. You know that as well as I do. Along with Ralph and Charles Haversham.’

‘It’s not a matter of knowing, Miss Littlemore. It is a matter of evidence. If there is no evidence of wrongdoing, then, whatever the newspapers might insinuate, no court will convict them.’

‘But it will convict the drug dealers, the prostitutes and the Elephant Boys who have been doing his bidding? How very convenient.’

‘But the good news, Harriet,’ Gerald interjects, ‘is that if a passing wartime friendship with Peter Lazenby is all that connects Ralph to the nightclub, and Lazenby himself is relatively unscathed, then Ralph’s reputation is intact. A little tittle-tattle in the newspapers can easily be dismissed.’

‘As long as the mud doesn’t stick,’ Ralph says, somewhat ruefully, playing with his cigarette case.