It was four o’clock when he remembered the old lady. He silently cursed himself for promising to call her that day, but a promise was a promise, and besides, the days ahead were likely to be so filled that he’d better get his business with her over as soon as possible. He called the number of the gallery.

She sounded delighted to hear from him. “I was afraid you would forget to call.”

“How could I forget?”

“I have something for you. Are you free this afternoon?”

“I’m afraid not,” he told her. The interruption from the headhunter had left him with a backlog of work to clear. She sounded disappointed.

“I had a call from my daughter today. She needs me to come and help her later this week, and then I’m on holiday with my husband. I always believe in doing things at once, so that they don’t get forgotten. Don’t you agree?”

He thought wryly of the thirty-three years that he had now been holding on to the Motherwell drawing for her.

“I certainly do,” he said.

“Do you get up early?” she asked.

“Quite often.”

“I have a meeting tomorrow morning,” she said. “But we could have an early breakfast, if you like.”

“I have an eight thirty meeting myself, I’m afraid.”

“Perfect—that’s when my meeting is, too. Shall we say seven? They serve breakfast from seven at the Regency on Park. That’s not far from your apartment, is it?”

He didn’t know what to say. A woman in her seventies was hustling him into a breakfast at some ungodly hour, and she’d already cornered him. He could see how she ran her gallery.

“That would be fine,” he heard himself saying.

He worked until six thirty, then gave Maggie a call to find out what time she’d be home. She said seven fifteen.

“After supper,” he told her, “I need to talk to you alone.”

“Oh?” She sounded tense. “What about?”

“Business,” he said. “I can’t tell you over the phone. Something’s come up.”

They ate with the children as usual and got them started on their homework. It was nine o’clock before they went into the bedroom and closed the door. Maggie was watching him cautiously, her face set.

“Okay,” he said, “I got a call from a headhunter I know today. I went downtown to see him at lunchtime. There’s a chance I could be offered a job.”

“What sort of job?” She wasn’t giving anything away.