‘No. I was in front. He came down from the circle. I could hear him on the steps.’

Peregrine looked at his watch. Five past eleven. He took her arm. ‘Let’s forget him,’ he said, ‘and sling our hooks. We’ve wasted ages. They shut at midnight. Come on.’

They slammed the stage-door behind them. The night was still fine and quite warm. They climbed Wharfingers Lane and went in under the illuminated sign of the new bistro: ‘The Younger Dolphin’.

It was crowded, noisy and extremely dark. The two waiters were dressed as fishermen in tight jeans, striped jumpers and jelly-bag caps. A bas relief of a dolphin wearing a mortarboard was lit from below.

As their eyes adjusted to the gloom they saw that Destiny and her three audience friends were established at a table under the dolphin and had the air of slumming. Destiny waggled her fingers at them and made faces to indicate that she couldn’t imagine why she was there.

They ate grilled sole, drank lager, danced together on a pockethandkerchief and greatly enjoyed themselves. Presently Destiny and her friends left. As they passed Emily and Peregrine she said: ‘Darlings! We thought we would but oh, no, no.’ They went away talking loudly about what they would have to eat when they got to Destiny’s flat in Chelsea. At ten to twelve Peregrine said: ‘Emily: why are you so stand-offish in the elder Dolphin and so come-toish in the younger one?’

‘Partly because of your prestige and anyway I’m not all that oncoming, even here.’

‘Yes, you are. You are when we’re dancing. Not at first but suddenly, about ten minutes ago.’

‘I’m having fun and I’m obliged to you for providing it.’

‘Do you at all fancy me?’

‘Very much indeed.’

‘Don’t say it brightly like that: it’s insufferable.’

‘Sorry.’

‘And what do you mean, my prestige. Are you afraid people like Gertie, for example, will say you’re having an advantageous carry-on with the author-producer?’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘How bloody silly. “They say. What say they? Let them say”.’

‘That aphorism was coined by a murdering cad.’

‘What of it? Emily: I find you more attractive than any of my former girls. Now, don’t flush up and bridle. I know you’re not my girl, in actual fact. Emily,’ Peregrine shouted against a screaming crescendo from the saxophonist. ‘Emily, listen to me. I believe I love you.’

The little band had crashed to its climax and was silent. Peregrine’s declaration rang out as a solo performance.

‘After that,’ Emily said, ‘I almost think we had better ask for the bill, don’t you?’

Peregrine was so put out that he did so. They left The Younger Dolphin assuring the anxious proprietor that they would certainly return.

Their plan had been to stroll over to Blackfriars, pick up Peregrine and Jeremy’s car and drive to Hampstead.