After stowing the pumpkins, we work together at the bench. Light from the window falls softly on our hands, across the potting soil and boxes of seeds.

“What d’you plan to do during winter?” Boss asks suddenly.

I get a cold feeling in my throat, even though my plans don’t involve working here for much longer. “Winter?”

Boss is intent on the kohlrabi seeds, patting the sieved soil gently into the wooden seed box with the palm of his hand. “There’s only enough work here for one over the winter,” he says, deliberately not looking at me.

Working on my own seed box, I carefully press beet seeds into battalion formations. I take a handful of soil from the bucket between us and sprinkle it over the seeds. It’s like putting them to bed. The seeds will sleep for a while, then wake up, pushing green stems towards the light. It never fails to please me. One of my jobs is to keep the trays damp, and I’ll miss tending to the seeds.

“I won’t need you again till the end of winter,” Boss explains.

Is there regret in his voice? I like to think so. For myself, I don’t know what to say, but am already starting to harden my heart. What does it matter? I’ve been here for a purpose. If I kill the Director I’d hardly be able to keep this nice job in the garden after that!

“We’ll want to get some seedlings underway before the frosts start.”

“All right.”

So there isn’t much time. The nights and mornings are beginning to get cooler. It won’t be long before the first frosts come.

I walk home along the towpath in the gloom of early evening, feeling the cloth bundle of coins in my pocket. Maybe out of guilt, Boss has given me an extra coin.

A splash comes from the river on my left. Pity I don’t have my rod.

Hands in pockets, I walk on in a dream, forgetting about the river. If only I had a pistol. But I’ll have to make do with my knife. I’ll wait until the Director is walking in the garden. I’ll go straight over to him and stick the blade in his heart. It is a simple plan. I just have to do it. Then the Black Marks will come and beat me senseless: this I know for a fact. That’s the one serious drawback about my plan.

A man goes past, though I’m so deep in thought I barely notice him. When I reach the street where I leave the towpath and go back into the city, back towards my district, I try to think if there’s another way of killing the Director. A secretive, less obvious way.

Maybe if I could get inside the house … I might come up with a better plan.