"It's mad heresy to say so, of course," she says, cheerful, in response to his enthusiastic agreement. "It's no longer quite de rigueur to believe in the place beyond the River."

She seems remarkably sanguine about being branded a mad heretic, and calmly sips her tea, eyebrows lifting at his theory. "Do you know, I haven't actually tried? I wonder if I can...and what it will mean if I can. Or if I can't, that would be just as fascinating."