Crillick mumbled again. I couldn’t make out the words but he sounded like a sulky child. I wanted to hear what more Miss Masterson had to say to him, but I couldn’t miss my own chance – I knew I must speak to the Leopard Lady if I could. The spell of my own fear had been broken. Grace and Alice were ready to lead her away. I had in my head that I could comfort her somehow and approached the stage. Close to, I could see that her skin was cracked and ashen, her eyes dulled. There were open sores at her wrists. It seemed tonight was not the first time she’d chafed against the rope. Bile rose in my throat at the thought of what she’d been through.

‘Are you well?’ I called up to her, but her head was down and she didn’t turn. I needed to get her attention somehow. I searched for the words that Lucien had said to me. The Mende that I had felt in my core.

‘Buwa, Kahunyaina?’

No response. ‘Sisi wami kunjani?’ I tried instead.

The Leopard Lady raised her head, looked around. Our eyes met and her face that had been so waxy and still came alive.

‘Indodana yami,’ she cried. ‘Uthathe indodana yami!’

What did it mean? She needed help? She was in pain? I repeated her words to myself, desperately trying to commit them to memory.

‘Sisi wami kunjani?’ I said again, hating that I knew no more.

Miss Masterson and Crillick had stopped their argument. The Leopard Lady dashed forward, almost wrenching the rope from Grace’s hands.

‘Uthathe indodana yami!’ she said again. The distress on her face was unbearable, but I had no response.

I reached out a hand to her, but Crillick’s voice slapped it down like a whip.

‘Get it out of here,’ he said, and Grace and Alice hurried to obey his command.

‘Come away, Zillah.’

It was Vincent. He’d been sat in his front-row seat the whole time, watching but taking no action.

I couldn’t quite read the tone in his voice – he sounded upset, but I didn’t know if it was at me, at Crillick, or at the whole ugly scene that had just played out.

‘That woman needs me.’

He gripped my arm so hard it was almost painful.

‘Come on, Zillah. Miss Masterson will take Crillick to task.’

He pulled me away, but I looked over my shoulder as I left the room. Miss Masterson had returned to remonstrating with Crillick.

‘That poor woman,’ I heard her say.

‘I don’t know what you mean. She will be paid handsomely, this is a good chance for her. They don’t feel pain like we do,’ Crillick replied.

Vincent shut the door and the rest of the conversation faded away.

‘Go to my room, Zillah.’