‘If Vincent wakes, he will wonder where I am,’ I said. I hated how small my voice sounded.

‘You should go to him, then.’

As if he would’ve let me before now. It was the touching. It had stirred him and, in doing so, it’d told him that he’d gone too far. Crillick held open the door. I hesitated, knowing that I would have to squeeze past him. It need only be for a second. I stepped forward but, as I did so, he did too. I was trapped, the doorframe hard on my left and Crillick with his front pressed against my side, his mouth at my right ear.

‘Remember who’s in charge here,’ he said and I flinched from the stale warmth of his breath. ‘My house, my show, and Vincent is my friend.’

‘What would he say if he saw you now?’ I managed.

‘Why don’t you scream, see if he comes?’

I considered it, but only for a moment. Vincent said he loved me but he ignored the things he didn’t want to see. Shrugged them off, like he’d done with the Leopard Lady tonight. Maybe he would choose to ignore the evidence of his eyes. It might suit him to see me as a wanton, rather than to confront the fact that his friend was a villain. As Crillick said, we lived in his house, but in that moment I longed to be back in St Giles, for all its squalor, where the villains had knives and knuckledusters – the sort of weapons you could recognise.

When Crillick knew I would not make a sound, he pressed against me. I felt the full weight of his body: his strength and my helplessness. It was less than ten seconds before he stepped back to let me pass, but we both knew he’d only let me go because I, his proud Amazonia, was beaten.

I half-ran down the corridor and back upstairs, throwing glances over my shoulder, but Crillick had no need to follow me. Why should he? He could get to me any time. If only Vincent had the funds for an apartment of his own. Damn his father for beggaring him. I reached the bedroom door and wrenched it open. Inside, I locked it, the key rattling as my hand shook. I sagged back against the door, needing its solidity to keep me upright. Vincent still slept. He lay on his side, his head resting on his hands. My breaths were so harsh and ragged I feared he would wake, but soon my heart slowed and finally I was calm. I put my ear to the door. Not a sound was to be heard, but that didn’t stop me pulling the chaise half across the door to make sure no one could get in.