Helen bent to look something up on the computer. ‘That must be why. Where did this meeting take place?’

‘Her flat, in Holland Park. It’s huge. She lives with what appears to be a rich man. I thought I’d be meeting her in a rented room somewhere but she has the run of the place.’

‘You know who she lives with, don’t you?’

‘No. Who?’

‘Andrew Lancaster.’

Andrew Lancaster. I recognised the name, but it was one of those sturdy names anyone could have. There were probably three famous Andrew Lancasters.

‘The popular historian. Left-wing, at least to start with. Professor at UCL. Pally for a while with the Blair government. Increasingly right-wing, say his enemies. No fan of the Tories.’

‘Oh, yeah. Of course, I’ve sold hundreds of his books without giving him any thought. He sounds…’

‘Clever? Accomplished?’

‘I was going to use the word “distinguished”.’

‘Distinguished, yes.’

‘And to be called “distinguished”, you have to be how old?’

‘In general or particular?’

‘Of course, in general.’

‘I think he’s in his late fifties.’

*