‘Certainly.’ He turned to the waiter and ordered in French. He went on long enough to have ordered them an entire meal, more, Thea felt, to show off than because it was necessary. She and Rory had managed perfectly well earlier.

To stop Rory and Gerald from looking at each other as if they were fans of rival football teams, Thea said to Molly, ‘So, what did you buy? Did you get the shoes you wanted?’

‘Yes and a matching handbag.’ Molly was torn between wanting to show off her loot and tell someone off – Rory for ordering brandy, or Thea for flirting with Rory. Possibly because she didn’t know what Thea and Rory had been up to and was in a dubious position herself, she got out a cardboard box. ‘There – what do you think?’

Thea thought that another handbag and pair of shoes added to Molly’s dozens made no difference to anything, but she murmured politely.

‘They were a bargain,’ Molly explained. ‘Because of the strong pound.’ She went on to name a figure which was still enormous, strong pound or no strong pound.

‘And what did you buy?’ Thea asked Gerald.

‘Me? Oh, nothing. I leave the shopping to you ladies. If I bought knick-knacks in every town I lead a group in I wouldn’t be able to get into my flat.’

As Molly hadn’t bought knick-knacks and Thea personally objected to being ‘you ladies’ she said, ‘But some shoes might have come in useful, don’t you think?’ She looked down at Gerald’s highly polished brogues. ‘Those must be awfully heavy to clump around in all the time.’

Molly shot her a furious glance, Rory choked into the last of his coffee and Gerald took a breath to tell her that he had all his shoes hand made in London and that they lasted him for years. Fortunately for Thea, the waiter arrived with the drinks.

*

Later, back at the hotel, Thea lay on her bed while Molly made up her face. She was still annoyed with Thea, although what about Thea wasn’t sure. She questioned her about her lunch with Rory. ‘Did you ask him to join you?’

‘No, he just did. I think he was lonely. He’s been in France painting and he wanted a little English company.’

‘But he’s not English, is he?’

‘No, Irish. Is that eyeliner you’re using?’ Thea didn’t care what Molly was doing to herself, but she was fed up with her questions.

‘Yes. You have to be terribly careful with it, or it looks dreadfully tarty.’

‘Did you do a make-up course or something?’ Anything to stop the cross-questioning – cross in both senses.

‘When I was a girl I went to Lucy Clayton and learned how to put make-up on there.’

‘How fascinating! Do tell me about it.’