Alex's eyes widened for a moment after Jack spoke, and she kept her eyes trained on him, looking for even a shadow of a hint that he was taking the piss or winding her up.

She found neither. His eyes shone with a humour, but it seemed rooted in irony, as if she'd told him exactly what she had wanted to hear. And, in a way, she felt she should have expected the same from him.

"Really?" she said, her voice thick. She pushed through, trying to gain control back to her tone. "Is that why you contacted me? Do you know why I'm here?"