I took a sip of my wine, but it went down the wrong way and I broke into a coughing fit. Sylvie took out another cigarette and lit it, pretending she hadn’t noticed. I took a second sip of the wine, trying to calm my throat. ‘I didn’t know you had children. You don’t look old enough.’

‘I’m not,’ Sylvie said. ‘I wasn’t. I should have waited.’ She drained her whisky sour and gestured to the waiter for another. ‘They’re both living in France with Aunt Tattie. Great Aunt Tattie now.’

‘Oh.’

‘They’re adorable, but they’re …’ She leaned back in her chair, resting her head against it. ‘People. Human beings.’ Roderigo climbed back up to his perch on her shoulder and she scratched him behind his ear.

‘I suppose so.’

She smiled. ‘I mean – they’re real. And they’re so small and they need you so much, and I couldn’t be sure I wasn’t going to mess up their lives.’

She looked so beautiful and fragile. I knew I should say something, but I didn’t want to disturb her, either.

‘I’m sure you wouldn’t. You’re very nice.’

‘I’ll give you a tip.’ She pulled on her cigarette. ‘That’s not really a word that women want to be called.’

‘Sorry.’

She was laughing at me again, but I didn’t mind.

The waiter brought over her second cocktail and we clinked glasses again. I was suddenly, idiotically happy.

‘To Africa,’ she said. ‘And new friends.’

‘To new friends.’

When we finished our drinks I tossed the money down onto the table and hurried over to pull out Sylvie’s chair for her. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her tip the contents of the ashtray she’d been using onto the floor, and slip the ashtray into her purse. I stopped just beside her, feeling my cheeks flare up.

‘Well,’ she was saying. ‘Now I can cross this bar off my to-do list.’

‘Yes,’ I mumbled.

She looked up at me expectantly. My mind was racing – maybe her husband controlled the money and wouldn’t give her any. Maybe she was keeping it as a souvenir of our drink together.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘I can’t get up with you standing there.’

I looked at her properly and she smiled. I felt her perfume envelop me.

‘Let me,’ I said, and moved her chair back for her as she stood.

‘You’re a rarity, Theo,’ she said. ‘Beautiful people don’t usually have beautiful natures.’