‘Then, Nikki?’ Mohktar’s voice was soft.

‘I saw a man in the distance. He was walking up and down, up and down by the sea…as if he did not know which way to go. The sun was going down. He was tall and he made a shadow on the sand…like a giant.’

‘What did you do?’

‘I ran…I came back inside,’ I whispered. ‘I climbed quickly back through the window.’

‘What were you afraid of, Nikki? The man was far away across the beach, wasn’t he?’

I nodded. I was shaking and felt sick.

‘What made you afraid?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘What did you do then?’

‘I don’t know. I remember going into the bathroom and playing with a clockwork dolphin in the basin. I remember hearing the amah come into the bedroom with tea for Mum. I came out, but she was still asleep…so I went to my own room.’

‘It was evening by then?’

‘Yes. The sun was huge and bright red on top of the sea.’

Blythe looked at his notes. ‘But Nikki, your bedroom was shuttered. How did you know where the sun was?’

‘I must have gone out onto the veranda…’ I heard my voice strange and high. ‘I think I went out…it’s hard to remember if it was then or later that…’

‘What?’ Mohktar held my eyes.

I looked away. I was cold and clammy in the hot room as the sweat cooled on my skin and memory came flooding back.

I got up abruptly and went outside to feel the sun on my limbs. I wanted the heat to penetrate my bones. I walked down the steps and across the sand away from the policemen towards the sea.

I could hear children laughing and chasing each other, and Indian amahs ran about with towels, the gold on their wrists and teeth catching the sunlight.

‘Lazy Daddy sleeping in the afternoon! We’d better not tell Mummy, had we? Let’s tuck you in, darling, you’ve got a fever…there we are. I’m going to get you a cold drink and a sponge to cool you down…back in a minute.’

‘Daddy, who’s that man in your…’

‘Just someone I work with…’

‘Is he lazy too?’

‘He is not very well, like you, so Daddy lent him his bed for a little while to rest. I don’t think we’d better tell mummy had we…’

“Cos it’s her bed too?’

‘That’s right. So is it our secret, little peapod, yours and mine?’

I nod. But daddy’s eyes aren’t laughing, they look frightened and the sweat is running down his forehead and down his chest and his hands as he tucks me in tremble and I don’t like this secret and I don’t like the smell of Daddy. I don’t like the smell of his fear and of something else which repels me, but I don’t understand why.

I walked to the sea’s edge and I stood letting the water lap against my ankles. I wanted Jack. I wanted to go home and see my wonderful garden. I was afraid of my memories and how far they would take me.