His eyes were narrowed in concentration and his mouth quirked up as I heard the ball slide into the pocket. Straightening, he reached for the chalk before taking a sip from his glass of brandy. He moved away and Crillick took his place, his eyes flickering over the table, weighing up the options for a winning hazard.

‘So-so. Milburn showed a lot of interest, but he only dabbles in science. It’s Tonleigh I want. If he comes along, others will follow. He’s published, you know.’

Vincent again. He placed his drink on the lip of the table and rested his weight on the cue.

‘I didn’t know that was what you had in mind.’

There was disapproval in his voice. Good. Could this be the moment that he impressed upon Crillick the evil of what he was doing? But no. His hatred of confrontation won out because next I heard him say, ‘The men seemed on board, I think. It’s the ladies that you will have to win over.’

It was almost as though he were giving him permission. I could imagine what he’d say if challenged – that a man must look to himself to know if he were doing the right thing. But he had influence over Crillick and could’ve used it if he chose to.

‘I could do without that bluestocking bint,’ Crillick said.

‘Elvira Masterson? She’s got the beating of you, old man.’

Crillick stepped forward and Vincent moved out of his way. Crillick must have made a clumsy shot, for he cursed under his breath.

‘You’ve got to give a chap a little room to manoeuvre,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t you that invited her, was it?’

‘Not me. It was your affair, after all.’

‘Didn’t stop you inviting your –’ he hesitated ‘– inviting Zillah along. Although I must say it quite amused me to see her filling that little uniform.’

Vincent chuckled but it sounded brittle.

‘Much good it did me. I hardly saw her all night and when I did she harangued me about how you’d upset her. I told her I’d speak to you.’

‘You let her take far too many liberties. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t introduced you both.’

‘I’m very glad you did,’ Vincent said, and I blushed to hear the two men laugh. Of course, he was a man like any other, but somehow I didn’t like to hear him leer. That’s what you get for eavesdropping, I suppose.

‘So, what’s it all about, Crillick? Will you insist on this … what are you calling it?’

‘Top secret for now. Consider your duty to Zillah discharged.’