Fiona asked the first questions. James answered them well. I'll be fair about that.

He talked about big contracts in London. Multi-million-pound deals. Negotiations with American banks. He was smooth and clever and quick.

Then Dougie asked his question.

“Mr Montague,” he said slowly, in his deep Leith voice. “This whole project was built by listening to the people who live here. We've held three hundred community meetings. Every big decision goes back to the residents. How would you handle that, as our lawyer?” James smiled.

“With respect, Mr Paterson, community consultation is mostly box-ticking. You let people have their say, it makes them feel included, and then the professionals get on with it. My job would be to make sure the residents don't slow down the real work.”

There was a silence.

Dougie took his glasses off and polished them on his tie.

“The residents,” he said, “are the real work, son.”

James looked at me, as if he expected me to laugh along. Like I used to at his dinner parties.

I didn't.