And what if he was already dead? She would sacrifice herself for nothing. She would be arrested, she might even swing – and who would look after her father then?

‘I can’t . . . I can’t remember exactly when was the last time, I’m sorry. I’d need to think. There was a lot going on.’

‘Well, shall I tell you what I’ve heard?’ He paused, watching her intently as she hung on his every word.

Slowly, she nodded.

‘I heard you caused a distraction in the final minutes before everyone left.’

‘A distraction?’

‘You gave everyone the runaround, set about wailing and causing a fuss. Tell me, why should you do such a thing? You don’t strike me as a hysterical girl.’

‘It was no distraction, sir.’ Her voice had a tremor to it. ‘I was trying to save my dog.’

‘Which was killed anyway, I understand? Along with all the others.’

She swallowed, then nodded.

‘So you engaged in a wholly futile charade—’

‘It wasn’t futile to me, sir.’ Her voice cracked.

‘And yet you want me to believe it’s merely a coincidence that no one, not a single person asked so far, can remember seeing the factor getting on the boat – or not – because they were so taken up with your escapade, which could have no possible alternative outcome?’

He stared at her for several long moments but she couldn’t speak. Words fell like lead weights through her. ‘You have nothing more to say?’

She shook her head. She had nothing more to say to him.

He sighed, looking resigned to her denials. ‘Very well, but you should know Scotland Yard are now involved and Frank Mathieson is officially registered as a missing person. The police will be coming to interview you about what you know.’

‘Me, sir?’

‘Yes, Miss Gillies. I gave them your name as a person of interest.’

A person of . . .? ‘But why? I don’t know anything!’ she cried.

‘Then you have nothing to hide.’

‘But why would you give them my name when you’d never met me before now?’

‘It’s nothing personal, Miss Gillies, but as I said, Mr Mathieson is a colleague and purely out of professional respect, I must do what I can to help him. He and I had conversations over the years – in this very room, in fact – and he made some confidences to me which I felt were pertinent to an investigation. I’ve told the police what I know, and now you must do the same. When a man is missing and very possibly in grave danger, we must all pull together to help him; I’m sure you agree?’

She didn’t reply, but she was already standing, her feet walking her backwards towards the door. She was breathing quickly and beginning to feel light-headed. She needed some air. She needed to get away from here.