‘Oh, but,’ and she turned to Greensmith, ‘I am sure I am right. Mr Greensmith, you can vouch for me—do you not recall Mr Dunlevy said eleven?’

And the secretary stared and blinked rapidly at her, appalled to find himself in a such a position.

‘For God’s sake, Eleanor! You are not a child. Do not expect me to treat you as one!’ Alasdair placed a hand on her upper arm, his fingers closing around her so that she almost cried out, and marched her out of the house and deposited her at the steps of the carriage. He released his grip and they boarded and sat side by side, Greensmith facing them with his back to the driver. No one spoke.

On the longest platform at Sydney Terminal Station the train was ready to depart, the doors already closed, a uniformed porter stowing the final bags into the carriage, the guard with the whistle between his lips and the flag in his hand. But at the sight of Mr Greensmith running at him and waving both arms he paused. And whatever Mr Greensmith said, whoever’s name he mentioned, was enough to make the guard lower his flag and fling open a door and even allow himself a little bow and a mumbled, ‘Sir,’ and, ‘My lady,’ and one or two people stuck their heads out of windows and wondered at the tall gentleman and his smart wife who had held up the train yet swept into the first-class carriage with all the dignity of the Governor himself, though the man scowled darkly and his wife stared before her as though she saw nothing and was not really there at all.

At last the whistle was blown and the flag waved and the train set off on its journey westwards to the mountains and beyond.

For a time no one spoke. They had reserved a compartment and having found it and seated themselves—Eleanor at the window, Alasdair opposite with Greensmith beside him—they sat in silence as the railway yards at Redfern flew by, followed in quick succession by the suburbs of Stanmore and Petersham and Lewisham. Alasdair studied some documents then lit a cigar. At Ashfield Greensmith offered to go in search of refreshments. It was not known if refreshments were available or not but he seemed anxious to go in search of some, even if meant jumping off the train to do so.

‘And, for God’s sake, find me a newspaper,’ Alasdair called after him. ‘Dashed if I know what happened to mine.’

The door slammed shut behind him and a moment later they set off again and it was not known whether Mr Greensmith had rejoined the train via another carriage or been left behind.