Just then another senior popped his head in.

“Have tea with me. Tempest? Come on, Wales is coming too.”

“Is Crofter coming?”

“No.”

“All right, I’m on; thanks, Pridgin. Blow that fire out, kid.”

“Is that kid your fag?”

“Not likely.”

“Is he all there? Sharpe seemed to doubt it.”

Tempest shrugged his shoulders.

“How soon? Ten minutes?”