‘Oh?’ said Rupert, stirring thoughtfully. ‘That’s not his reputation. I heard he was a bit of a womaniser.’ He lifted his spoon to his lips. ‘Ah yes. The gravy is coming along nicely.’

‘Going by his photo he wouldn’t have to work too hard at it,’ said Fenella. ‘Is he as gorgeous in real life?’

‘Mm, but older,’ said Laura carefully.

‘I think men improve with age, like fine wine. Isn’t that right, Rupert?’

‘Whatever you say, honey.’

‘So,’ Fenella turned her full attention on Laura again. ‘What did you have to do to persuade him to come? Eleanora said for years you couldn’t drag him out of Ireland for love nor money, but now he’s doing this course as well.’

‘What course?’ Laura put down the nut she had just prised open and looked at Fen.

‘Oh, haven’t you heard? No, I suppose you wouldn’t have, it’s only just been settled. It’s a writing course – a competition – at Bath Spa University. People have to send in their novels and the best ten or so get to go on the course. One of Eleanora’s other clients – can’t remember who – was supposed to be doing it but they had to pull out for some reason. Anyway, she’s got Dermot to do it.’ She frowned. ‘In fact, I think he might have actually offered. She mentioned the problem with the other author while she was talking to Dermot about something else, the festival probably, when he suggested he did it. She was quite taken aback – especially as she’s hardly spoken to him in ages and he usually avoids her calls.’

Laura found herself oddly put out. It was nothing to do with her, but somehow, after the enormous lengths she had gone to just to get Dermot to give a talk at a literary festival, let alone the lengths she had been willing to go to, she felt affronted that he had actually offered to teach a writing course, which would be a far bigger deal. ‘I must say, I am a bit surprised. I had to go all the way to Ireland to get him to do an hour sitting on a stage being asked questions by a sycophantic interviewer. Piece of cake compared to actually setting exercises, thinking up a course, all that stuff. And he offered to do it? It doesn’t make sense.’ She really wanted to say that it didn’t seem fair but didn’t want to appear churlish.

‘Maybe he felt once he’d decided actually to leave his native land for one thing, it wouldn’t be so hard to do it for two.’ Fenella frowned for a second, ‘Although the course thing is first, come to think of it. Maybe he’ll be moving straight here after the course. Anyway,’ she went on enthusiastically, ‘do you suppose having done the course he’d let us advertise him for the festival?’