"Oh no," he said between kisses, "How about trusting in me for a moment, Miyume?" His fingers were playing with her skirt, out of sight. They kept flicking the edges and then rubbing them between their tips. Now he came to kiss at the front of her neck. "I'm not a bad man."

There was definitely something agonising about the way he pulled back - but he was only stooping to pick up her cane, very carefully, holding her in a delicate, tender way.

"I told you you're special," he said. "So let's get going."