Enter Max. Jomier has hardly seen him since the divorce. His hair has receded and what is left is mostly grey. He is not fat but his body has thickened – his neck, his jowls, his girth. Jomier makes as if to stand.

‘Don’t get up,’ says Max. ‘Have you got a drink?’

Jomier holds up his glass of wine. Max crosses to fill a glass for himself. A moment later the doorbell rings. Tilly goes from the drawing room into the hall. Jomier is alone in the room with Max. He feels nothing. No anger. No resentment. All passion is spent.

‘I am so sorry about Louisa,’ says Max.

‘It’s good of you to have Jimmy,’ says Jomier.

Max shrugs. ‘It’s the least we could do.’

Tilly comes back into the drawing room with Henry and Jimmy. Henry waves to Max, then comes to embrace his father. He has come with Jimmy from the hospital. ‘I really hope they know what they are doing. Chad’s is such a grim place.’ They are given drinks. They discuss the case. Occasionally Jomier intercepts uncertain glances aimed at him. What is going on? Why is he here? What’s with this new friendliness with Tilly and Max? Time passes. There is conversational slippage: Max, Henry and Jimmy talk about the credit crunch. Henry says with a forced bravado that in a month he may be out of a job. Max talks to Jimmy about soya futures. Jomier is left with Tilly but can think of nothing to say. He gets to his feet. ‘Let’s meet at the hospital tomorrow,’ he says to Tilly and Jimmy, ‘and try to see Professor Adams.’ They both agree.

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The next morning Jomier travels to Chad’s by public transport: he takes the 94 bus to Holland Park, then the Underground to St Paul’s. There is a delay on the Central Line. Tilly and Jimmy are already with Louisa when he arrives. Jomier kisses his daughter. She smiles – a feeble smile: the effects of yesterday’s transfusion are beginning to wear off. ‘You’re very honoured,’ she says. ‘The great Professor Adams would like to see you. You and Mum.’ She rings a bell. A nurse appears. ‘My father’s here,’ says Louisa.

‘I’ll let them know,’ says the nurse.

Tilly sits on the chair; Jimmy leans against the windowsill; Jomier sits on the edge of Louisa’s bed. Louisa’s huge eyes look from her father to her mother, then her mother to her father: she is content that they are there. Jomier asks if Professor Adams has made any progress.

‘He said it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack,’ says Louisa.

‘That’s not encouraging,’ says Jomier.

‘It’s a horrible thing to say,’ says Tilly.

‘Better no bullshit,’ says Jimmy.

‘Yes,’ says Louisa, ‘it’s better to know where we stand.’