Before I could say any more, Melody was back at the desk. Forcing my jaw to unclench, I turned to face Summer Collins clicking across the chequered tiles in gold stilettos, shaking out her hair as she unbuttoned a red trench coat to reveal a gold jumpsuit beneath.

To her credit, she only faltered for the briefest millisecond when she saw me standing there. No one would have detected the wobble in her smirk if they hadn’t been looking for it. Sashaying up to the desk, she placed one hand on her hip and switched to the hundred-watt smile that had won her fans across the East Midlands.

‘Oh my gosh, if it isn’t Bea Armstrong. I would not have expected you of all people to turn up at an opportunity like this. Aw…’ She turned down the corners of her mouth in mock sympathy. ‘Didn’t you get the information about the dress code? I know gold might be a stretch, given your whole cutesy, homespun thing going on, but you must have something red. A Nottingham Forest shirt, or a pinafore dress?’

‘Hello, Summer.’ I ignored the comment about the red and gold dress code for the evening, which had also stated ‘Max Glam’. I had read it, and would be adhering to it, but I had chosen not to go Max Glam in a car with Henry for six hours.

‘And he-e-el-l-o-o-o… whoever this is!’ Summer added, giving Henry an objectifying once-over.

‘Shall we get you checked in, Summer?’ Melody asked, her tone clipped.

‘Um, before you do,’ I interrupted. ‘That question you asked me, just now, about the room, which I said no to. Due to a change in circumstances, the answer is now yes.’

Melody swivelled her eyes to Henry and back. ‘To clarify, you’re referring to the one that your driver said would not be appropriate?’

‘Yes.’ My cheeks were so hot they’d have no problem adhering to the dress code.

‘Would you like to take a moment to discuss this with your driver?’

‘What Ms Armstrong is trying to explain is that we would prefer the twin, leaving the other room free for anyone who hasn’t checked in yet,’ Henry said, giving a subtle nod in Summer’s direction.

‘Okay, one moment, please.’

While Melody disappeared into a side room, Summer cranked her smile back up. ‘I didn’t know you had a driver, Bea. How on earth can you afford that?’ She tittered, patting Henry’s arm to let him in on the joke. ‘I had to get the train and then a taxi, like any old bod! If I’d known you were coming I’d have asked for a lift.’