I opened my eyes and there Lucien was before me. I jumped up, still drowsy. What must he think, to come down and find me asleep in his armchair? As usual he wore a crisp white shirt, but his cravat had been loosened and I caught a glimpse of his chest beneath. I felt a sharp pang of longing and it only added to my confusion.

‘Forgive me, the door was open. I called out to you.’

‘I don’t care about that. Elvira sent me a note to say that all had gone well and she was headed for Dover. She must be halfway to the coast by now, but I didn’t know where you were. I thought you were going to stay with your friend?’

‘I wanted to see you first, Lucien.’

‘You’ve taken a grave risk, Zillah. Anyone could have seen you.’

I recognised in his tone the angry relief of someone who has been worried.

‘I couldn’t go straight to Barky’s. He’ll be at the theatre for a while yet, I’m sure, and I didn’t want to hang around outside for him.’

‘Are you sure Crillick won’t think to look for you there?’

‘No one knows that we are friends. I’ll be safe there for a few days at least, but I didn’t come here to speak of that. Last night, Lucien, you asked me a question.’

‘I did, and you said you weren’t ready to give me your answer.’

‘I wasn’t then. You surprised me and I had to put Nosizwe first, but I’m ready now. Will you ask me again?’

‘I will, I will do it now.’ He half-turned. ‘Let me find my coat.’

‘No, don’t. You are fine as you are. I like you like this,’ I said and dropped my eyes, not wanting to seem too forward. We stood face to face and he took my hands in his.

‘Zillah, the first time I saw you I was intrigued by you. When we spoke, I did not expect you to be so confident, so sure of yourself. I am a quiet man – you might say an overly serious one. For some time now I have been looking for someone to share my life with, but it wasn’t until we met that I could begin to believe I’d met my match.’

He waved a hand that took in not only the room where we stood but the shop beyond.

‘As I told you before, it may look as though my life has been an easy one, but having the patron that I had, the education he gave me and now this business, has separated me from my earliest experiences. I cannot deny that I have had privileges that many of my countrymen haven’t, but it has made me lonely. I need someone I can confide in, a wife I can trust.’