When she was more settled financially, she was going to try to get on better terms with her mother. But an apology would hardly be credible if she went cap in hand begging at the same time. She had to learn to stand on her own feet first.

As she entered the club, her heart sank. Instinctively she pulled her coat closely round herself to cover the revealing garments she was wearing. Then she straightened her spine and went through into the staff room. Just do it, she told herself.

The first person she saw as she walked out into the club was the man who’d hassled her the night before. She stopped dead as she saw him moving towards her and tried to slip through the crowd to one side.

The manager was there immediately. ‘You’ve a customer and he’s a good one here. See that you’re nice to him tonight.’

‘Please. Let one of the other girls look after him. I don’t like him.’

‘He doesn’t want one of the other girls and what you like or don’t like doesn’t matter. We’re paying you to smile and be nice to the sort of people who find it hard to pull their own chicks.’ For a moment his hand tightened on her arm. It hurt and he could see that, but he smiled and kept up the pressure.

When the customer came up to them, also smiling, the manager let go in such a way that he pushed her towards the man.

‘Chiffon! Lovely to see you again.’

‘Nice to see you, too.’

‘My name’s Eric.’

‘Eric.’ Numbly, she let him buy her a drink, then danced with him. When another guy came up to ask her to dance, she was relieved, but Eric put his arm round her shoulders.

‘She’s with me.’

The other man shrugged and moved off. She somehow dredged up another smile. Well, she hoped it looked as if she was smiling. She felt like a circus clown. Maybe she should have painted on a smile with lipstick?

The evening seemed interminable but at least she didn’t have to search for things to say because Eric talked about himself nonstop. He didn’t ask much about her, except to make sure she wasn’t married or in a relationship.

She stopped drinking alcohol, frightened of losing control of herself, and drank fruit juice instead.

Just after midnight, the room started to spin round her and before she could cry out, everything blurred and faded.

Someone was whimpering. Andi could hear it quite clearly. Whoever it was sounded really upset.

‘Can you hear me? Open your eyes if you can hear me.’

She tried to but couldn’t. The whimpering started again.

The voice boomed out above her head but the words were meaningless. ‘She’s well out of it. Better call the police.’

A little later she managed to half-open her eyes. There were lights flashing and someone else was bending over her. Where was she? It was so cold and damp, she couldn’t stop shivering.