‘Trains are important. For example, it mattered to you that it arrived on time and was affordable.’

The meal over, Petr cleared his throat and said, ‘I’m afraid I have to discuss something that can’t be ignored.’

Something in the atmosphere shifted and she was unsure why.

‘Is it Eva?’

‘It’s been reported that you made an obscene gesture in the street to an official.’

The walls of the room seemed to creep in. ‘How do you know that?’

‘Does it matter?’

‘Well, yes. It does.’

‘The Ministry of the Interior busies itself monitoring the lives of its own citizens.’

‘We’ve had this conversation, if you remember. Foreign nationals are fair game.’

‘Tell me, who don’t you spy on?’

‘Laure, did you make that gesture?’

She was damned if she was going to lie. ‘I did.’

‘I’m not going to ask why although, as the person responsible for you, I’m entitled do so. What I must ask is that you never do that again.’

She was tempted to say: how dare you?

He spoke slowly, as if to a child: ‘It’s clear you don’t understand how to conduct yourself here. Or, how doing something like that affects our families.’

Why didn’t she have more practice in this sort of thing? ‘But you’re one of them and protected. What does it matter what I do? Especially, if it’s hardly worth noticing.’

‘What do you mean?’ Petr sounded icy.

She glanced up to the chandelier for inspiration. Its heavy glass drops were reflecting the evening sun and exuding pinpoints of light. A little less certainly, she said, ‘You’re close to the Party. You do things for them.’ He got to his feet and came over to her and the normally kind eyes were anything but. Laure’s attack faltered. ‘Aren’t you?’

‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’ He picked up his cigarettes. ‘The authorities have put you on a list as an “oppositional”. They will refer to you as a “reactionary bourgeois” and when it comes to sorting out your visa there will be a black mark. Maybe sufficient to get you deported.’

She wondered if he was deliberately overdoing it. But why bother? She knew, and Petr knew, he would win this bout because the very thought of having to leave Tomas made her feel faint.

He grew cold and serious in a way that was new to Laure. ‘You’re thinking you could quit our employment and go and live with your lover. And I’m sure you accuse me of being the Party’s stooge. Maybe that’s true. Maybe it isn’t. But what is true is, if you didn’t have my protection, then you would be vulnerable. Very.’

Both knew he was speaking the truth.

‘Don’t you wish to say anything?’