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Emmeline looked at the Doctor, doubt and hope mingling on her face.'How?' she asked.

The Doctor glanced out of the cab window. 'I have my methods,' he murmured.

Emmeline regarded this mysterious, clean-shaven, long-haired man, and wondered, not for the first time, why she had poured her heart out to him, why she was now bestowing him with such faith and trust. Despite her youth and inexperience, she was neither naive nor foolish. Was it simply desperation, then, a need to share her problems, her fears?

He was certainly a good listener. It had not taken her long to recount the sorry tale of her father's recent transformation from loving husband and father to cold-hearted stranger.After she had finished, the Doctor had asked her a number of succinct and pertinent questions, which she had done her utmost to answer, and had then lapsed into contemplation.

The silence had stretched between them for several seconds, before Emmeline had asked, with an uncharacteristic tentativeness, 'Doctor...

what do you think is troubling my father?'

The Doctor had looked at her, his face serious, thoughtful.'I'm not sure yet,'

he had said,'but I intend to find out.'

Now, having asked him how, only to receive an equally vague reply, Emmeline was beginning to become impatient.

'May I ask, sir, what your exact connection with my father is?'

'I've told you, I'm a friend and business associate.'

'And what, pray, is the manner of your business?'

'Distribution,' said the Doctor. 'Distribution and export.' Then, abruptly, he shook his head. 'No, I'm lying. I don't know your father at all. I only met him for the first time today. I can see you becoming alarmed, Miss Seers, but don't be. I'm telling you the truth because I want you to trust me. Believe me, my sole aim is to help you and your father. I think there is something very wrong at your lather's factory, very wrong indeed. I think your father is acting as he is because he is under some form of... influence.'

The Doctor looked earnestly into her eyes. Emmeline, who was still struggling to take all of this in, said weakly,'Influence?'

'Your father is being controlled, Miss Seers. By whom, I don't know. Yet.'

'But... but why? For what purpose?'

'I don't know that either. It will be something nefarious, though.You can count on that.'

Emmeline looked shocked. She didn't know what to say.

In a gentle yet compelling voice the Doctor said, 'This is a dangerous situation, Miss Seers. One man - a former employee of your father's - has died already, in mysterious and rather grisly circumstances. I don't want to alarm you any more than I have to, but it is imperative that you stay away from the factory until further notice.And on no account must you confront your father. Do you understand?'

'But...' Emmeline said before her voice petered out. She licked her paper-dry lips and cleared her throat, and forced herself to say, 'But my father would never harm me.'

'Your father is not himself.'The astonishing blue of the Doctor's eyes seemed to flood her mind, to make his words boom with incredible import and authority. 'He is not responsible for his actions. Please promise me that you'll stay away from him.'

Emmeline found herself nodding slowly, dazedly. 'I promise.'

'Good,' said the Doctor, settling back into his seat. 'And I promise you, Miss Seers, that I'll do my utmost to get to the bottom of this mystery, and restore your father to you.'

The carriage raided on its way, through the poorer parts of London.The streets were busier now, full of people and traffic.

Presently the Doctor said, 'This is where I get off. But before I do, allow me to give you this.' He held up his hand, and as if by magic a small white business card appeared in it, which he handed to Emmeline.

She read the name and address on the card, which meant nothing to her.'What is it?' she asked.

'It's the address of where I'm staying,' replied the Doctor.'If you need me, any time of the day or night, don't hesitate to call.'

Then he smiled at her, and