There was a glitter in his eye when the young woman mentioned Alice’s being unwell. Unwell, accompanied by discordant music and a maid too afraid to pass through the same room as her. He cast her a ‘sympathetic’ smile, gears churning as he fell into step behind her.

“My apologies for what the family must be going through,” he said as soon as they were in the passage. “We had an … unwell member of the family, too. My deepest regret is not getting him help before he disappeared.”

Actually, his deepest regret was letting Menachem on that couch. He had had to get a damned seat cover commissioned to cover the blood.