Johnny stopped laughing. He turned to Jakob. ‘Still a wit, are you, just like in the old days?’

Our eyes met again. No, nothing had changed. We hadn’t liked each other then, either.

‘Don’t let me disturb you, boys,’ Bella said, stroking her left breast pensively. ‘If you want to exchange your cigarette cards, like in your youth, don’t bother about me.’45

With complete mastery she had drawn everyone’s attention to herself again. Her pink tongue rested against her large, white front teeth, and there was a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

Johnny Solheim laughed coarsely, Jakob shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and once again I could feel my blood throbbing below.

Then we heard a clatter on the steps outside and one of the band members stuck his head in. It was the bass guitarist, a forty-something guy with dark, grey-streaked hair, an unsuccessfully camouflaged incipient bald patch, a dark Sergeant Pepper moustache and a confused expression on his face when he saw the throng of people. He was wearing a shiny, purple silk shirt, open down to the top roll of fat, and tight black trousers with a conspicuously generous waistband. ‘Bella, you’re back on,’ he said, scrutinising her with unmistakeable hunger in his eyes. Then, he sent Johnny a hostile look and, without recognising me, turned to Jakob. A nicotine-stained smile spread beneath his moustache. ‘Jakob? Jakob Aasen?’

‘Been a long time, Stig.’

‘You don’t have to tell me.’

‘You’re still at it.’

‘Just about,’ Johnny mumbled.

Stig’s face darkened. ‘Bella…’ He nodded towards the staircase.

‘If the old boys’ brigade could get their arses in gear and shift,’ she answered and stood up.

‘Are you staying around?’ Stig asked Jakob.

‘Yes, for a bit.’

‘I’ll find you in the break for a chat.’

Jakob nodded.

Bella had stretched her arms out to the side and drawn a deep breath down into her lungs. Then she threw back her head. Her 46breasts bulged like torpedo heads at us and, judging by the pained expression on Johnny’s face, were equally explosive. Then she held her hands against her collarbone, raised her head in one slow movement, ran her hands languorously over her breasts and down her stomach and slid them down her thighs. She met our looks with a sultry pout. She was electrifying once more and ready for the next set.

Stig went first and led the way up the staircase. Bella strode past us, so close that her hips touched us both as she passed. We couldn’t help but notice the radiation of heat from her body. Johnny plumped down onto the chair she had vacated, as if to steal some of the heat she had left behind. Jakob and I stood looking at each other in puzzlement for a few empty seconds, then we nodded silently to Johnny and vied to be first up the stairs after Bella.

Jakob won, but that was because he was closest to the door. And she was a sight for satyrs as she mounted the staircase, five or six steps ahead of us, in a pair of trousers they would have envied in Sodom and Gomorrah.