‘Off tomorrow, with that unhappy boy. Much to Archie’s relief. What a dreadful business it all is: such a “convenient” kind of accident, I feel. Do you know what I mean? No. Well, never mind. Just me. I’m so suspicious. That odious man has caused such unhappiness in so short a time. Archie is quite ill with fury and frustration, and then this accident happening, and Minerva suddenly so tight-lipped and unlike herself. I do wish he hadn’t gone.’

‘Marcus? I think that maybe he wants to see that Film Star woman.’

Cuckoo looked up in surprise. ‘Marcus? That silly flirty creature? Not his type at all, surely?’

‘Oh, I think so. I think very much his type. For example: at the swimming-pool.’

‘Swimming-pool? What?’

‘The picnic time.’

‘I don’t understand you, dearest girl.’

‘At the picnic they were swimming, and I think she … what is the word?’

‘I can’t possibly imagine.’

‘When it is more than just flirty … when it is much more …’

‘You can’t mean seduce, can you?’ said Cuckoo vaguely.

‘Seduce. Yes. She did that to him.’

Cuckoo looked at her in astonishment. ‘Seduce Marcus? At the pool; the picnic? But she couldn’t possibly. They didn’t have time!’

‘They did. He said to me. I knew. “A quick bang with a tart,” he said.’

‘Leni! Oh my dear, the things that happened at that picnic! One reels! How dreadfully tiresome for you. Were you absolutely furious with him? I do hope that you gave him hell.’

‘Oh yes. I was furious.’

‘Honestly! Faithless brute! I hope he was deeply ashamed?’

‘Why? I am not his, you see? He does not belong to me. We are just together, we have made no vows. He is quite free.’

‘They always are, men. Free. Vows or not, my dear. Oh! Vows don’t matter; not in marriage. Like pie crust, you know; made to be broken.’

‘And she came on that boat, you see. It brought all trouble: we were happy until it came, everything was so lovely, unreal, a dream; and then it came and it was the real world chasing our happiness away.’