‘I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you.’

‘I’m not worried about it in the slightest,’ said George. ‘It just annoys me, that’s all. Would it kill her to have some manners?’

‘Shall we move on?’

‘I suppose.’

‘So, how can I help you?’

‘Well, it’s a matter of some delicacy,’ said George, looking a little uncomfortable. ‘One that will require some discretion.’

‘Of course. Discretion is our watchword, you know that. You’ve nothing to worry about there.’

‘The thing is, I seem to have got myself into a little bit of trouble.’

Jeremy reached for a notepad and his pen hovered over the blank page. ‘Marital, business or financial?’

‘Probably a little of all three, if I’m honest.’

‘All right. You may as well just give me the details.’

‘I met a woman. An actual woman.’

‘Seriously, George, no jokes. If someone overheard you—’

‘Sorry, I’m just feeling pissed off now. Anyway, this woman and I, we may have had … relations.’

‘You may have had? You mean you’re not sure?’

‘Well …’

‘You did or you didn’t?’

‘We did.’

‘Frequently?’

‘Many, many times. Over the course of five months.’

‘And what? She’s threatening to go to the papers? How much do you think she’s looking for?’

‘No,’ said George, looking glum. ‘It’s worse than that. She doesn’t want publicity or money. If she did, that would make things a lot easier. No, it turns out she’s pregnant.’

‘Ah,’ said Jeremy.

‘There’s life in the old dog yet, it seems.’

‘Apparently so.’

‘Me being the old dog,’ clarified George. ‘Not her. She’s a very attractive woman, in fact. Although she has a laugh that grates on my nerves. Which was one of the reasons I broke up with her.’

‘Can you tell me her name?’

‘Angela Gosebourne. Dr Angela Gosebourne, in fact.’

‘Does she work at the BBC?’

‘Oh no. She’s a therapist, as it happens. Helping, you know, nut jobs. People who’ve gone a bit doolally.’ He rotated his index finger at the side of his right temple.

‘I don’t think you can use those words any more either, George,’ said Jeremy. ‘What you mean to say is people with mental health issues.’

‘Nut jobs gets the sense across perfectly well.’

‘It can be seen as offensive.’

‘There’s only you and me in the room. Are you offended?’

Jeremy considered it. ‘Well, no,’ he admitted.