Pete seemed to have found his stride and every time he attacked himself, Frederick and I continued our conversation, debating security issues for tomorrow evening, masked by the noise of giggles, squeals and shouts.

The puppet show ended to a round of applause. Pete and his puppets gave a majestic bow. Pete’s forehead was now covered in sweat from exerting himself so enthusiastically while sporting a heavy animal fur and a synthetic wig. He was now being affectionately shoved by an array of toddlers shouting, ‘Silly man! Silly man!’ Would he consider their enthusiasm a win? Or just another hellish day in the life of a children’s entertainer?

Gigi and Florence came up to us. ‘He funny!’ they said, laughing. I realised that his supposedly prehistoric way of talking was actually toddler talk.

‘Look what Mummy’s got for you.’ I pulled a doll out of my bag and gave it a shake at her. ‘Florence, I’ve got one for you too.’ I pulled out another identical one.

Gigi grabbed one of the dolls and held it tight. Frederick pushed Florence towards me. ‘Go on, darling. Take it.’ She took the remaining doll a little more hesitantly.

‘Why don’t you girls go and have a little run around with your new dollies?’ I motioned towards the library door with the guard seated outside. ‘Why don’t you race Florence up to that door and back? If you do it three times you get a biscuit.’

‘Yayyyy, biscuit!’ they cheered.

The two of them went skipping off, grasping their new dolls.

We watched them go.

Frederick asked with a smile, ‘How are you feeling about using your daughter to trial the radio range of a scanner needed in a top-secret mission?’

‘Pretty good. She’s getting a free doll out of it. The microchip inside can be removed later. You?’

‘Same.’ We watched them leaving the room ahead of us. ‘Chances of them doing what we say?’

‘I’m quietly confident. Gigi would do pretty much anything for a chocolate biscuit.’

They were running now along the corridor.

I looked down at the Peppa Pig toy phone. The light was green – but the girls were still nowhere near the library door. We just needed confirmation that the security wand scanner would be in range of the console box.

Halfway across the corridor the girls stopped. They were brandishing their dolls at each other and chatting animatedly. It was sweet, wondering what they talked about. Their own little people. They were now swapping the dolls between them and comparing them next to each other. I gave myself a pat on the back for going for two identical ones to prevent any chance of a row over who had which.

‘MINE,’ said Gigi, reaching for the doll Florence was holding.

Oh great.

‘No, MINE.’

Gigi threw the doll she was holding onto the floor.

‘Well, that’s not good,’ said Frederick.