There is no time to answer before he steps out of the room, pulling the door gently closed behind him. I wait a moment, his voice a low mumble along the corridor, feeling the slight sink of the lush, thick-piled carpet under my feet. There are a couple of prints on the walls, arty-looking pictures that give me the feeling I should probably know who they are by, but I don’t. A heavy French oak wardrobe sits in the corner, a slip of peacock blue fabric peeping out from between a small gap in the doors. I step forward, the rumble of Rupert’s voice in the background, letting my fingers brush over the silky fabric, and before I know what I am doing, the wardrobe door is open, just enough for me to see it is filled with clothes – a woman’s clothes, dresses, jackets, trousers, all hanging neatly on wooden hangers – the expensive ones that I can never afford. Some are covered in plastic, as if just back from the dry cleaners, others – expensive-looking gowns, something sparkly with sequins – hang uncovered, so many of them that the hangers are rammed tightly together. The slip of fabric belongs to the sleeve of a silk jacket in a vibrant blue, and I stroke it gently, the feel of it like cold water under my fingers, wondering who the clothes belong to and more importantly why are they in here, instead of the master bedroom. Before I get a chance to let my imagination run riot, Rupert’s voice gets louder as he approaches the bedroom, saying his goodbyes to whoever was on the other end of the phone. The buzz of curiosity dies away, and I close the wardrobe door, moving to the middle of the room, as if I have done nothing but wait patiently for him to return.

‘Sorry about that.’ He stands by the door, waiting for me to slip past him. ‘I think that’s just about it for the grand tour.’

‘Very impressive,’ I say, before wincing on the inside, hoping I haven’t come across as a bit crass. ‘It’s a lovely house, Rupert. A lovely home.’

A look I can’t quite read crosses his face. ‘Yes, well. You can see that it needs a bit of sprucing up here and there. That’s why I’m on the lookout for a housekeeper. It’s a big house for me to take care of, especially with the hours that I work.’

I take that as an opportunity to learn a bit more about him. ‘What is it that you do?’

‘I’m the Contracts Director for a construction company. It’s quite intense – the hours are long, especially if I have to go out and visit sites, and it’s quite stressful. I’m mostly based at the Swindon office, but I commute into Paddington several times a month. That’s why I need a bit of help here.’