Hateful word. Even the sound of it made me flinch. As long as I lived, I would never forget what I had seen in Crillick’s cellar. Vincent may not have known the full extent of it but many of his acquaintances did. Alexander and Fayers – all his cronies from the club. God knew what they had been party to in that time.

Vincent looked sincere. This was a man I had given myself to. I badly wanted to believe him … and yet.

‘You heard him talk about it, same as I did. I saw you looking at the blueprints, remember?’

And that wasn’t forgetting that Vincent’s own warehouse had played host to a show, too, however briefly.

‘I didn’t know,’ Vincent insisted. ‘He asked me if he could use the warehouse. You know how much I hate it and why, so I said yes. He told me some of the things he’d seen when he went to the Continent. I had no reason to believe he’d try to recreate them here.’

Vincent had been to the finest schools in England. He wasn’t a stupid man, but he was expecting me to believe that he couldn’t put two and two together. Once again, it came down to what he chose to know and what he didn’t. I had no doubt he wanted to do good, but until he was willing to admit the part that he himself played with his inaction, he’d never be able to.

‘It was good of you to warn us, milord,’ Barky said, interrupting us before the conversation turned even more bitter.

‘I only ever wanted to help,’ Vincent said. ‘But I’ll go now. I wish nothing but the best for you, Zillah. However angry you are with me now, I hope one day you realise that.’

Barky followed him out and I heard him bidding Vincent farewell at the street door. When he came back, he sat down opposite me at the table. He took a long breath and then let it whistle out through his teeth.

‘He didn’t need to do that.’

‘It was the least he could’ve done.’

‘Come off it, girl. There’s not many a lord who’d chase round after his fancy piece like this. He owes Crillick and he risked a lot to come here.’

Barky was right, but I was stubborn and so I didn’t reply. He shook his head at me.

‘I just hope you know what you’re doing,’ he said.

I started to speak when he held up a finger.

‘Do you hear that?’

There was nothing, and then the sound of scraping and the door opening. A ragged cheer went up.

‘What is it?’

‘Everything and nothing, most probably,’ Barky said. He made to return to his seat at the table but we heard the upstairs door bang again.

‘Fight, fight,’ a childish voice yelled.