If Alice felt out of place here, she could only imagine how Nina was feeling; but Alice could help, they could stick together, Alice instructing her on what was happening and pointing out who to avoid. She did a quick calculation in her head: yes, if Nina didn’t go and Teddy was stood up, it would be gratifying; but perhaps if she and Nina spent the evening together, it could be even better – maybe they could become friends? ‘Look, if you’re a deb, we’ve got to go,’ she said. ‘The ceremony starts any minute.’

‘I’m not going,’ Nina said decisively. ‘I can’t. I can’t wear this dress. I can’t waltz. Especially not with Samir, pretending everything’s okay. I don’t know what I’m doing here.’

‘But you have to,’ Julia said. ‘It’s le Bal.’

Nina blinked rapidly, the eyeshadow the make-up artist had applied heavy on her lids. The metallic shade brought out flecks of amber in her hazel eyes. She glows, thought Alice, and she guessed Julia thought so too, judging by how often she touched her fingertips to her own face and glanced longingly at the sink, where she’d left a bulging make-up bag.

‘So?’ Nina shrugged. Her face betrayed what she was feeling. She swallowed. ‘The truth is, I don’t think Samir invited me here with the purest of intentions. I thought we’d spend the weekend getting to know each other, ambling around Paris. I didn’t know about le Bal or what it meant, having an escort, or cavalier, or whatever…’ Her hands flew around theatrically, until she ran out of steam. ‘I dunno, the whole thing makes me feel grubby, which I don’t really understand since I’m in possibly the most beautiful hotel, in the most beautiful city, in the world. I’ve always wanted to come to Paris…’

Nina began to cry again, and Alice slipped her hand into hers. She understood. She hadn’t been able to articulate it until now, even to herself: she’d joked about it with her father; finding a husband at her deb ball and being married off (the historical backdrop to these events, even though these days they were more about getting dressed up and raising money for charity), but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being put on display, and in her case, the exhibit was lacking. That’s why she was in Paris; she suspected the sting of rejection, of not being the darling of the ball, would be a little softer here. It mattered less, since she knew no one other than Teddy and now Nina. The Count didn’t count. She smiled in spite of herself.

‘I don’t want to go either,’ Alice said softly. ‘Why don’t we go together and get it over with?’ She squeezed Nina’s hand and then stood, shaking out the full skirt of her dress and pulling Nina up too. Beside her, she was aware of Julia, now in front of the mirror, prodding her face.

‘Why are you going if you don’t want to?’ Nina asked, confused.