At lunchtime, I looked for Barky and found him smoking in the alley that ran alongside the theatre. He was leaning back against the brickwork puffing smoke rings to amuse himself. As I walked up to him, picking my way past stagnant puddles that weren’t wholly made of rainwater, he held out his cigar case, but I shook my head no. I didn’t feel like smoking.

‘What are you doing out here, then?’ Barky said.

‘I wanted to get away for five minutes.’

‘Girls been treating you rough, have they?’

He’d shown no sign of it when he was managing the rehearsal all morning, but of course he’d noticed. Ellen must have done more to keep the others in line than I’d thought. The gloves were off now, though.

‘You going to try to make it up with Ellen?’

‘Not after what she said.’ I was surprised he was still suggesting it.

‘I was planning to send everyone home early this afternoon as soon as we’ve run through the encore. After that I’ve got one or two bits of paperwork to do, but if you wait ten minutes, we can walk back together if you’ve …’

He didn’t finish but I knew what he wanted to say. If you’ve got something to disguise yourself. I pulled out the blue silken headscarf I used to cover my curls going to and from Barky’s house and the theatre.

‘What do you think this is for?’

‘Can’t afford any slip-ups,’ Barky said. He blew out a plume of smoke and the smell made my stomach swirl.

‘I take it you’ll be looking for a new job if you’re not going to try and smooth things over here?’

‘Soon as I can. I told you, there’s something that I need to fix and then I can concentrate on getting out.’

‘Does the boss have any inkling you want to leave?’

I hadn’t really thought about it, but Barky was right. Here was another problem I’d have to find a way around if I wanted to put Crillick’s behind me and start again.

‘You know what he’s like. The Great Amazonia is his headline act. You make a lot of money for him. It’d be silly to think he’d just let you walk away from it. What if you turned up at a rival show? He couldn’t have that.’

‘I don’t want to be onstage any more,’ I said. It was true, but I’d need to find some way to earn a living. The chances of a new job paying as well as this were few but maybe I’d get some dignity back. That had to be worth something.

‘If you really wanted to get away, I’m sure the Viscount would speak to Crillick for you.’