Annoyingly they hadn’t added a clause to their casual arrangement which told them how to deal with this situation. Supposing now, her inhibitions softened by wine and tiredness, she reached her hand across the table and put it on his large, roughened, very slightly hairy one? Would he get her unspoken message? And if he did would he look slightly horrified and embarrassed? Say, ‘You’re a lovely girl but I’ve never seen you like that?’ Or something similar.

Helena decided she would die of embarrassment if this happened and took another sip of wine.

‘I think you need another one of those,’ said Jago. ‘And here comes the food. Those chips look amazing! Can we have some mayo to go with those?’ he asked the waitress. ‘Thank you so much!’

The food was as good as it looked and Helena crunched her way through it, too tired to talk much. That was one of the many joys of Jago: he was perfectly happy to be silent. When she’d finished her steak she felt a lot better.

‘Now, pudding,’ she said. ‘I’m paying and I’m insisting. I won’t feel I’ve taken you out for dinner if you only have one course and no alcohol.’

‘Oh, right! I’ll hop up and get the menu.’ Having done this he perused it. ‘I think steam pudding with custard, cream and ice cream.’

‘I’ll join you!’ said Helena, feeling bold and a bit anxious. ‘I sort of wish Cressida was here.’

‘Really?’

‘She’d be so utterly horrified! And although I know it’s childish of me, I do quite like horrifying her.’

He laughed. ‘I know what you mean. I can’t resist shocking my sister either.’

‘Oh? How’s Zuleika and her kitten?’

‘The kitten is growing rapidly and is hardly ever out of trouble, apparently. My sister is going to keep her.’

Helena smiled. She had reason to be very grateful to that kitten. Without it her first meeting with Jago would have been very different.

‘So,’ Jago said, after several spoonfuls of pudding, which included fresh raspberries and was very much lighter than its title suggested it might be. ‘What are you going to do with yourself now this show is over? You’ve worked so hard!’

Helena gave a laugh that was almost a sigh of exhaustion. ‘I’m going to work even harder! I’ve sold every blessed scarf, rug, throw and cushion cover, lots of it destined for the big World of Wool show at the end of the month. It’s going to be pretty much impossible to restock in time.’

‘Oh, Helly!’ said Jago, putting his hand on her shoulder. ‘I didn’t realise.’

‘Mum suggested that she give me back everything I’d ever given her which is something. I’ll ask Cressida for her stuff too, but it’s not going to be that much.’