‘But Hanna’s got a good job,’ Bell protested. ‘She earns her own money. She doesn’t need Emil’s.’

Nina laughed her laugh. ‘Oh, Bell, do you really think they could afford that house on her and Max’s salaries?’

Bell didn’t know how to reply. She was Generation Rent; she’d never thought too much about the cost of townhouses in the best district in town. It was a problem she was never likely to have for one thing, not to mention she had no actual idea of what kind of money Max and Hanna made. It had always seemed to her that as long as you had enough for what you needed, surplus was . . . surplus.

‘The family trust set up a provision for her and Linus after Emil’s accident, to give them financial security.’ She arched an eyebrow. ‘Why do you think she never changed Linus’s name?’

‘She did. He’s registered as Mogert at school. It’s on his school books, his name tapes . . .’

Nina shook her head slowly. ‘Those are not the legally binding records, they are discretionary only, for his day-to-day purposes. You can be sure somewhere in the school files is a form that lists him as Von Greyers. Have you ever seen his passport?’

‘. . . No.’

‘Well, if you did, you’d see it’s still in our surname. Max never officially adopted him – it was tricky, obviously, on account of Emil still being technically alive all those years. But let’s not be fooled – it is also because he’s an heir to an impressive fortune, and that name is as much a key to the money as a PIN.’

Bell was quiet for a moment, digesting the news. ‘Hanna’s never mentioned anything about that to me,’ she said uneasily, trying hard to remain loyal to her boss. Whatever difficulties they had endured recently, whatever conflicts of interest they unwittingly shared on a private level, she had been a good employer for the past three years; they were friends, of a sort. ‘She never mentions money.’

‘No need to when it’s being pumped in,’ Nina shrugged.

‘Well, if you think she’s all about the money, then why hasn’t she left Max already? It’s been six months since Emil woke up.’

Nina looked thoughtful, her gaze still pinned to the twins. ‘That’s what I can’t quite figure out.’

‘You just don’t like her.’

‘No, there’s something else too, I know there is. I just can’t put my finger on it. She’s been keeping him close –’

‘Yes, because they share a son.’

‘But not so close that she had to make any difficult decisions. She’s kept her options open all this time – until he got hurt again. But she’s been all over him like a rash ever since his concussion.’

‘Maybe it helped clarify things for her, being confronted with the possibility of losing him again.’

Nina glanced at her. ‘Doesn’t she strike you as . . . jumpy?’

‘I think you make her nervous.’