“Did you ring the archive to ask if a book had been found?”

“I didn’t. I said.”

“That’s absolutely true,” I said. “I did.”

“And you claimed to be Roy.”

Now that I understood her accusation of pretending, I liked it even less. “I did nothing of the kind.”

“Hannah says you led her to believe you were.”

“No, she assumed it and I hadn’t time to put her right. I needed to find out about the book.”

“You mean you were afraid she wouldn’t tell you if you owned up. I hope you’re satisfied with the result of your performance. We still have no idea where the book is.”

“I can tell you someone does, and you shouldn’t be accusing me.”

Was I hoping Bella would own up to some reaction? Her expression – faintly puzzled and concerned, as the ignorant might expect her to look – didn’t change. I was appalled by how unnatural her pose appeared to me, not to mention her very presence, and how natural to Roy and his mother. They saw a girl sitting next to her boyfriend, but I could still feel how my fingers had sunk into her flesh. I was so busy trying not to shudder that I failed to realise how fiercely I was staring at her until Roy said “Dad, stop doing that.”

“What do you think I’m doing?”

“Harassing Bell. You said you wouldn’t any more. You did yesterday as well.”

Julia turned to face me, simultaneously leaning back as though recoiling from the sight. “What did your father do?”

“Took me looking for Bell’s house and didn’t even ask her first. That’s all right because we never found it, because he got the place wrong.”

“I didn’t, Roy. If you think back—”

“Then you went there to make me think Bell’s been playing tricks on me. That’s the truth and I was trying not to say,” he said as though I’d forced him to accuse me in front of Bella and his mother. “You tried to make it look like she’d been in that old hotel and all you did was show me you had.”

“Why don’t we all go and see where she lives right now? Or you can tell us why you wouldn’t like it, Bella.”

“We’ll do no such thing,” Julia declared. “When are you going to give this up, Patrick? I’ve told you to stop and now Roy has. Carry on if you want to lose him.”

“If that’s what it has to take. However much it has to.” I was struggling not to let my dismay at the prospect hinder me. “How about you, Bella?” I said. “Are you feeling harassed?”

“I feel the same as Roy.”