He was mocking me. I couldn’t find my voice. I wanted to scream the truth at him. I fell for him. He was kind and clever and his eyes sparkled when he laughed and he made me see things in a way I hadn’t seen them before. He had done so to be generous to a girl who did not know where she was supposed to fit in the world. I had tried to reward him in the only way I thought men wanted. Rewarded him as I had so many of Mam’s friends when I was young. He had turned me down. He wanted none of what I had to offer. So I pushed. Promised him secrecy and pleasures beyond imagining. I was wicked, like they’d always said. I hadn’t expected Stefan to arrive. But even then, he fixed things. Found Cranham for me. Even now, I would give myself to him if he wanted it. He was the only person to have ever shown me kindness for its own sake and I had corrupted him in my desperation to show gratitude.

‘You asked your husband to look into something for you. He called my department. And my department called me.’ For a moment, something close to pity crossed his face. Later, I wondered how much of what he did was an act. ‘You won’t be asking anything else, Mrs Hemlock. Not if you want your secrets to stay hidden. And not if you want your husband’s second life to stay that way. You are the wife of a man who might one day be powerful and for that reason it’s important we know the kind of person you are. Can I report back that you are the kind of person who knows when it is important to close their mouth and open their ears and not do the kind of things that could prove very embarrassing for people so much more important than you?’

I looked at the floor. I could feel tears at my cheeks. I refused to give in to them. Something defiant and vengeful was beating tiny wings in my throat and I could feel myself growing furious. How dare he!

‘I’ll tell Cranham,’ I hissed. ‘Tell him what you’ve said …’

‘Cranham is not our concern,’ he said, silkily. ‘Cranham could be controlled as easily as an old dog. But for form’s sake, it would be wise to thank him for his help and not to mention our conversation. It would be a shame if he were to learn the truth.’

‘He knows!’ I protested. ‘He agreed to the marriage anyway …’

‘Oh, Mrs Hemlock, there are so many truths. And he will hear the one that best suits our needs.’

He turned at a sound from the vehicle. I peered past him. Had that been the sound of the passenger window winding down? Was somebody else in the vehicle?