She passed out of the room in front of the Russian. He followed her, closing the door behind him and locking it.

“This way, please,” he said.

He indicated the staircase and she mounted obediently to the floor above. Here she was directed to pass into a small, frowsy room, which she took to be Alfred’s bedroom.

Mosgorovsky said: “You will wait here quietly, please. There must be no noise.”

Then he went out, closing the door behind him and locking her in.

Bundle sat down on a chair. Her head was aching badly still and she felt incapable of sustained thought. Bill seemed to have the situation well in hand. Sooner or later, she supposed, someone would come and let her out.