The Waltzer was the most popular ride on the fair. Great buckets of colour and speed were packed from side to side with old and young alike, each bucket whizzing round on its own track, round and round, up and down, faster and faster, its occupants screaming and laughing through the wild music, and, on occasion, being sick over their own feet.

Sandra loved the fair; she loved the rides and the music, and all the noise. Any other time she might have paid her money and climbed aboard. But not tonight. Tonight, she had more important things to do. She had to find Dave.

And suddenly, there he was!

Thrilled at the sight of him, she ran, waving her arms and shouting at the top of her voice, ‘Dave! Dave, it’s me… Sandra!’

The music was so loud he couldn’t hear her. Head down and eyes intent on the riders, he hopped from one bucket to the next, collecting the money and dropping it into the pouch round his waist. Now the Waltzer was gaining speed and he had no time to look up.

‘Dave!’ Jumping up and down on the edge of the ride, Sandra kept on waving and shouting, desperate for him to see her. Soon, realising she wouldn’t be able to attract his attention, she lowered her arms and leaned against the pillar. ‘I can wait,’ she smiled happily. ‘Now that I’ve found you, what do a few more minutes matter?’

She recognised Tom, the mechanic; he was in the eye of the storm, the centre of the ride, where he operated the machine and smoked his old roll-ups which, according to Lily, ‘stank like ’osses’ droppings’.

There was somebody else there, too. A girl.

From where Sandra stood, and with the ride going full pelt, people waving their arms and being thrown about, and the buckets swinging noisily past, she couldn’t get a good look at her. All she could see was her long, fair hair and her slim figure, and the way she was waving at Dave, who by now was standing on the far edge of the ride.

As Sandra watched, Dave waved back and then began to wend his way skilfully across, avoiding the whirring buckets.

Mesmerised, Sandra followed his progress.

She saw him leap down, into the eye of the storm. She saw him slide both arms round the girl, and when he bent his head to kiss her, a long and passionate kiss, she felt her heart turn upside down. ‘Dave!’ His name rang out in a sob from her lips, but he still didn’t hear. He was too engrossed with the girl.

Without thought for her own safety, Sandra climbed up. Holding on to a pillar with one arm, she waved, yelling his name again and again, but the buckets shot past and her voice was carried away in the rush of air.

It was when she saw him sliding his hand up the girl’s skirt that her senses exploded. With a cry of ‘No… NO!’ she ran forward, dodging the buckets as they came at her.