Ellen was standing at the door to the box Crillick used for his office. She must have come in just in time to see the door close behind me. I turned around, careful to keep my hands down by my side, covering my pockets in case the stolen papers were poking out.

‘I came to see Crillick to apologise for missing my shows this week.’

‘He’s been with me. You went into his office on your own?’

‘I …’ My wits had deserted me and, in my hesitation, she seized on a portion of the truth.

‘Did you come to make a play for him?’

I started to protest but she cut me off.

‘You little slut. I should’ve known.’

She had raised her voice and it brought Crillick out of the room behind her.

‘Now, now, ladies, what’s this?’ I didn’t need to see the smirk on his face – amusement dripped from his voice.

Ellen didn’t even turn around.

‘This is between me and Zillah,’ she said.

Her voice was icy with fury. I’d never heard her talk to him like that, and he clearly wasn’t used to it either, for it left him open-mouthed.

‘You’ve got His Lordship, but that isn’t enough for you, is it? You had to throw yourself at my man too.’

‘That’s not it, Ellen,’ I said, but I dared not admit I wasn’t with Vincent any more. She’d seize on it as further proof.

‘The front to tell me I’m wrong when you’re looking as guilty as you do? Dress all askew. It’s not wrong what they say about you people, is it?’

‘What do you mean, Ellen? Out with it.’

‘Blacks are loose, oversexed. I should never have trusted you around my man at all.’

I was stunned into silence. The pain of this – from her, a woman I had called my friend – was too much. And over a dog like Crillick too. Ellen couldn’t believe I’d never wanted him. She was so blinded by love she thought everyone felt the same, though most of the other girls at the theatre were as repelled by him as I was.

‘You’ve always had your eye on him. I’ve seen you.’

How deluded she was. I felt fit to burst with the things that I could say to her. Crillick had barely any time for her. She was convenient to him, that was all. If he hadn’t been surprised, I had no doubt he would have taken me in front of her and not cared a stuff about it. But I bit my tongue, hard enough to taste blood. I knew deep down she knew it all herself, and there are some things too terrible for one woman to say to another.