Heidi was swearing too, by the sound of it, in German. She plucked a hair clip from her back pocket as she cursed, performing the usual deft, mesmerising twists with sections of her long hair, before expertly stapling it all into place as a topknot. ‘You did not touch her?’

‘Heidi, for God’s sake—’

‘Even a little bit. In a friendly way? That could have been misinterpreted?’ Her eyes were hooded and wary. ‘This is so… Lucas, I need to know the truth.’

‘I have told you the truth,’ he retorted, at such volume that a passing couple tried to catch his eye. A lovers’ tiff, their faces said – we’ve all been there.

‘No physical contact, Lucas? No words that could be misinterpreted?’

‘No,’ he cut in savagely, ‘and frankly, even to have to bear this interrogation – this doubt – from you of all people – is… Jesus Christ.’ He ran his hands over his face, groaning with relief when he felt her cool fingers arrive on top of them.

‘I am sorry. I am in shock. It is such a bad thing to happen.’

‘I should never have helped her,’ he moaned. ‘I should have held firm, told her to leave. I should—’

‘Maybe she has an obsession with you,’ Heidi murmured, but without conviction. ‘Young girls, they can be dumb like that.’

‘Or maybe she did not like my comments on her work. Not that I was harsh…’

‘Yes, that could be it. I suppose.’ She sighed heavily.

‘It will blow over, sweetheart,’ Lucas consoled her hastily, ‘for the simple reason that I did nothing wrong, and everyone – everyone, including and especially the Master – wants it sorted.’

‘I hope so. But… but… I hate that such a thing should happen.’

‘Me too.’ They had reached the junction near her library and dejection was swamping him again. Soon they would part, with nothing between them feeling as it normally did. ‘Please try not to worry. I’ll call you later, okay? I’d better get home now.’

‘Sure.’

‘And let’s go away for a few days before term starts,’ Lucas urged, desperate to ignite a flicker of the buoyancy he knew and loved. ‘Paris, Prague, Portugal – anywhere beginning with P, basically.’ It was a poor joke and her expression remained distracted and stern. ‘To celebrate our engagement?’ he prompted. ‘When Esther is back from France and can share the Dylan load, I’ll have more time.’

‘Or maybe we could visit my family in Bonn.’ Her expression remained sombre, but he could hear the relenting in her voice. ‘Today, talking to them all, it made me a little… homesick, you know?’

‘Of course, it did. What a brilliant idea. Heidi…’ Lucas took her arm and steered her under the lee of a shopfront. ‘You do believe me, don’t you? Nothing happened. The girl is a fantasist.’