Eleanora shook her head. ‘Takes more than one, darling, you know that as well I as I do. You’re the publisher, damn it. Talking of Dermot . . .’ She turned to Laura, ‘He’s been calling me, saying you won’t return his calls. Do for heaven’s sake ring him, there’s a dear, he’s driving me mad.’

Laura nodded as if in agreement, but although she knew full well that Dermot had been trying to get hold of her there was no way she’d ever return his calls. She had nothing to say to him.

Eleanora glanced round the room again. ‘Oh, sorry. Just seen an old friend. Back in a min.,’ she said and she was off.

‘I knew it was a long shot but I thought I’d try.’ Gerald narrowed his eyes. ‘Hey, if he’s calling you, I don’t suppose you could persuade Dermot—’

Laura shook her head sadly. ‘No! I assure you I have no influence over him.’

‘Then how did you get him to appear at the festival?’ Gerald persisted. ‘He’s famously difficult to budge out of his “little grey home in the West”.’

‘That was just a one-off,’ Laura explained. It was agony for her to talk about him. If she kept it general she could just about cope. ‘Just for the festival. And anyway, it’s one thing getting someone to pitch up at a literary festival and quite another to persuade them to join a publisher that’s far too small for them.’ She looked around. ‘Where is Eleanora? I can’t believe she’s really seen an old friend.’

Gerald also turned round. ‘She has. She’s over there. She seems to know half the room. I think this is where she always has lunch so she’s bound to get to know everyone even if she didn’t before they came. So tell me really, how did you get Dermot Flynn out of Ireland to come to this festival?’

Laura now realised she might be asked this question again and again; she’d better think of an answer fit to print, or at least say out loud. She smiled to give an impression it was down to serendipity and therefore not really anything to do with her efforts. ‘Well, let’s just say alcohol was involved.’ They needn’t know it was on her part more than Dermot’s. ‘And I didn’t bring him between my jaws, like a Labrador, and drop him at Eleanora’s feet. She just makes it sound like that.’

He laughed. ‘It sounds impressive even if you didn’t.’ Laura decided he was rather sweet as he leant forward, sounding really interested. ‘So, have you really always wanted to be an editor?’