Fiona asked the next question. It's one we ask every senior candidate.

“Tell us about a time you were wrong about someone,” she said. “A time you misjudged a person, and what you learned.”

James thought about it.

He thought about it for quite a long time.

“I'm actually quite a good judge of people,” he said finally. “I think that's one of my strengths. I usually know very quickly who's going places and who isn't.”

Fiona waited.

“But if I had to pick something,” he said, “I suppose I once trusted a colleague in London who turned out not to be loyal. During the merger. I learned to be more careful about who I back.”

Fiona wrote something down.

Dougie wrote something down too. I could see it from where I was sitting. It was one word, underlined twice.

I didn't look at James.

I looked at the photo on the wall. The blue cranes. Lit up in the dark.

Five years ago, he'd been very sure he knew who was going places and who wasn't.