‘You’re not doing anything of the sort,’ said Peregrine. ‘The management looks after getting you home on the first night,’ he lied. ‘Didn’t you know? Oh, good luck: there’s a taxi coming.’ Emily waved to it. ‘William,’ Peregrine said. William ran round to the driver’s side. Peregrine got out. ‘You can look after your mother, can’t you? Here you are.’ He pushed a note into William’s hand. ‘You gave a thoroughly professional performance. Good luck to you.’

The taxi pulled up. ‘In you get, both of you.’ He gave the driver the address.

‘Yes – but – I mean –’ said Mrs Smith.

‘No, you don’t.’ They were bundled in. ‘Good night.’ He slammed the door. The taxi made off.

‘Phew! That was quick,’ Emily said.

‘If she’d had a moment to get her second wind she’d have refused. Come on, darling. How hungry I am. You can’t think.’

The Wig and Piglet was full. The head waiter showed them to a reserved table.

‘A wonderful performance, sir,’ he said. ‘They are all saying so. My congratulations.’

‘Thank you. A bottle of your best champagne, Marcello.’

‘It awaits you.’ Marcello beamed and waved grandly at the wine bucket on their table.

‘Really? Thank you.’

‘Nothing,’ said Peregrine when he had gone, ‘succeeds like success.’ He looked at Emily’s excited face. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said gently. ‘On a night like this one should not think forward or back. I found myself imagining what it would have been like if we’d flopped.’

‘Don’t. I know what you mean but don’t put the stars out.’

‘No husbandry in our Heaven tonight?’ He reached out a hand. ‘It’s a bargain,’ he said.

‘A bargain. It’s because you’re hungry.’

‘You may be right.’

An hour later he said she was a clever old trout. They had a cognac each to prove it and began to talk about the play.

‘Gaston,’ Peregrine said, ‘may be dotty but he’s pretty good where he is tonight, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Exactly right. He’s like death itself, presiding over its feast. You don’t think we’ve gone too far with him?’

‘Not an inch.’

‘Good. Winty says it’ll run for as long as Dougal and Maggie can take it.’

‘That’s a matter of temperament, isn’t it?’