‘Oh, I will, will I?’ Stuart was breathing hard with anger but a deepening shadow of doubt had crept into his eyes. ‘Fine. Let’s play it your way for now. In the meantime, let’s try something else. Hacker, go and fetch that old fart McCulloch from the dungeon. Seeing as the stupid bugger apparently doesn’t know anything after all, that makes him expendable.’

Hacker smiled. ‘Now you’re talking. That’ll be my pleasure.’ He said to his crony, ‘Banks, you stay here and make sure the major doesn’t do anything stupid. We wouldn’t want to have to educate him in the art of fucking people up.’

The one called Banks looked happy to oblige. Ben stared at him and said, ‘Banks is pretty good at that, all right. Especially when he’s sent to butcher some poor unarmed victim on their own and he can run away afterwards. Maybe he could have dressed as a woman, too.’

Banks didn’t look so happy now. Hacker turned towards the doorway and was halfway there when Stuart seemed to remember his expensive hand-woven Celtic carpet and said, ‘Wait. No. On second thoughts, take Hope down with you to the dungeon. That way you can bloody the place up as much as you like. Let’s see if it doesn’t loosen Mr Hope’s tongue to see his old comrade getting sliced like a kebab.’

‘Works for me,’ Hacker said. ‘You coming, too, boss?’

Stuart peeled back the sleeve of his tweed suit jacket to consult the gold ingot on his wrist. ‘I think not. It’s time for my lunch.’

‘Enjoy it, boss. What’s on the menu?’

‘Poached salmon,’ Stuart replied, and they laughed.

Hacker pointed his pistol at Ben. Not getting too close, not making the fatal error of allowing his weapon to get within intercept distance of the enemy, lest it suddenly be snatched from his hands and turned on him with savage efficiency by someone who’d been expertly trained for the job. The Pathfinders weren’t the SAS, but near enough for Hacker to know the ropes. He said, ‘C’mon, fucker, let’s get moving.’

‘I’ll see you later, Stuart,’ Ben said.

Hacker and Banks escorted him out of the room. The third Dishonourable was still waiting outside the door. Hacker said, ‘Come with us, Carter.’

‘Where’re we going?’

‘Downstairs. To have some fun.’