She patted the back of his head as she turned away. He accepted that with good grace.

"So…" he said.

"It’s done," she said. He raised his eyebrows.

"As simple as that?"

"Of course not as simple as that. What do you damn well think? But it’s done."

He nodded slowly. When he spoke his tone was neutral, as if they discussed some academic project. "How did you manage it?"

How did we?Bellis thought in the silence. Did we? I have no evidence, no proof of anything.

"I couldn’t do it on my own," she began slowly, and then she sat upright, shocked by Silas’ look of stricken anger.

"You what?" he cried. "You fucking what?" He was on his feet. "What did you do, you stupid godsdamned cunt…?"

" Sit… down…" Bellis was standing now, pointing at him, her fingers shaking with rage. "How dare you?"

"Bellis… what did you do?"

She glared at him. "I don’t know," she said coldly, "how you might have managed to cross a swamp crawling with six-foot mosquitos, Silas. I don’t know how you would have managed that. We were a mile or more from the Samheri ships-oh, they were there, don’t fret about that. Now maybe you are a cactus-man or a fucking scabmettler or something, but I’m blood, and they would have killed me."

Silas remained quiet.

"So…" Bellis’ voice was measured now. "I found a man who could travel to the ships, without danger, without being detected. A Crobuzoner, prepared to do the whole deal on the hush, just to stop his first home being devastated."

"Did you show him the stuff?" said Silas.

"Of course I did. You think he’d swim off blithely at midnight taking only my word as to what he was carrying?"

"Swim? It was Tanner fucking Sack, wasn’t it? Do you think, if you’d looked long and hard"-his voice was strained-"you could have found someone more loyal to Garwater?"

"But he did it," said Bellis. "He wasn’t going to do anything without proof. I showed him the letters, and yes, Silas, he’s loyal to Garwater. He’s no intention of ever going back. But, dammit, you think he doesn’t have friends left behind? You think he relishes the idea of the grindylow taking New Crobuzon? Godspit!

"For the sake of the people he left. For the sake of memories. Whatever. He took the box, the seal, the letters, and I told him what to do. It was a last good-bye to his fucking city. From him as much as from me and you."

Silas was nodding slowly, acknowledging that perhaps she had had no choice.

"You gave him the stuff?" he said.

"Yes. But it all went ahead, no problems. Silas… we owe Tanner Sack."

"But does he know…" said Silas hesitantly, "who I am?"