Now he was listening. He slackened his pace. I seized the opportunity and made the claw sign of One Jaguar right at his back – a cantrip that should have stopped him dead, but which Roux just shook off instinctively.

‘Hey, stop it,’ I said, more in frustration than anything else.

He shot me a look of feral curiosity.

‘You need to give her time.’

‘What for?’

‘To make up her mind what she really wants.’

He had stopped walking altogether now, and was watching with new intensity. I felt a twitch of annoyance at that – he was so obviously blind to anyone who wasn’t Vianne – but there’d be time for that later, I told myself. For the moment, I just needed him here. After that, I could make him pay at leisure.

Meanwhile, however, Thierry had picked himself up, and was heading towards us down the street. ‘We don’t have time for this now,’ I said. ‘Meet me Monday, after work.’

‘Work?’ he said. He began to laugh. ‘You think I’m going to work for him?’

‘You’d better,’ I said. ‘If you want my help.’

After that, I had just enough time to rejoin Thierry as he approached. Barely a few dozen yards away, and hulking in his cashmere coat, he glared at me, and at Roux behind me, with the black-button-eyed ferocity of a big plush bear gone suddenly rogue.

‘You’ve blown it now,’ I told him softly. ‘What possessed you to behave like that? Yanne’s very upset—’

He bridled at that. ‘What did I do? It was—’

‘Never mind what did I do. I can help you, but you have to be nice.’ Savagely I made the sign of Lady Blood Moon with my fingertips. That seemed to calm him; he looked dismayed. I shot him again, this time with the masterful sign of One Jaguar, and saw his colours subside a little.

He’s so much easier than Roux, I thought. So much more cooperative. In a few words, I told him the plan. ‘It’s simple,’ I said. ‘There’s no way you can lose. It makes you look magnanimous. You’ll have the help you need in the flat. You’ll see more of Yanne. And what’s more . . .’ I lowered my voice again. ‘You can keep an eye on him.’

Well, that did it. I knew it would. That delightful combination of vanity, suspicion and supreme self-confidence – I hardly needed glamours at all, he did it all so well himself.

Yes, I’m almost getting to like Thierry. So comfortable, so predictable, with no sharp edges on which to be cut. Best of all, he’s so easily charmed – a smile, a word, and he’s all mine. Unlike Roux, with his sullen mouth and look of permanent suspicion.