“Why did you choose to break my heart in such a delightful place, Lily? I have always been fond of the rose gardens, and now you have ruined them for me forever.”

I can think of nothing to say in reply. A small boy runs past, chasing a squirrel which is adept at keeping tantalizingly out of his reach. He is wearing a dark blue sailor suit and has an unruly muddle of curly blond hair which bounces as he runs. A girl in a crisp white pinafore and sunny yellow dress hurries after him, calling his name. I wonder if Louis is thinking of the children we will never have together.

“I cannot go ahead with the wedding, Louis. I care about you too much to marry you when … It wouldn’t be right.”

“We could have been happy, I know it. I love you terribly, you believe that, don’t you? And we understand each other, you and I. We have grown up together. Our families are close. We move in the same circles. Dash it all, Lilith, we are both witches.”

“Louis…”

“It has to be said. You don’t seem to want to face facts. And the biggest, plainest fact of all is that you are Head Witch of the Lazarus Coven, Lilith Montgomery. It is who … it is what you are.” He hesitates before going on, struggling to compose himself, wrestling with his own emotions so as not to let his hurt and anger make him speak harshly. “I know what that means. I understand. I can support you.” When I say nothing he goes on. “Does he even know? Have you told him?”

I hesitate and then nod.

“Good Lord, Lilith! How much have you told him?”

“As yet, not a great deal.”

“Then you have had these feelings for some time indeed. When?” he asks suddenly. “When did you tell him?”

“Before the war. Before … before what happened with Freddie. After that I came to think that it was impossible. That it would be wrong to allow a non-witch into my life in such a way.”

He runs his hand through his hair and for a moment I think he will actually begin to weep. “All this time … You sent him away, but you never stopped loving him, did you?”

I shake my head slowly. I close my eyes to shut out the pain I have inflicted.

“Lily, for pity’s sake, have a care. There are very few non-witches who know of the existence of the Lazarus Coven. You don’t know this … artist well at all. You said yourself you haven’t had any contact with him for years. You haven’t met his family…”

“I know how I feel about him.”

“And those feelings may very well be affecting your view of what is sensible and what is not.”

“I’m sorry if you don’t like the idea of my telling him about the coven.”