‘And she’s not asked for anything. What do you think?’ They both looked through to the outer office where Kylie was busy at her desk.

‘I think you’re quite right, and I should’ve kept better tabs on it myself,’ he said. ‘We’re doing okay this year. If you come up with what you think is fair, we’ll have a look at it tomorrow. Kylie’s good value. Maybe we could just bump up her pay as a surprise for her.’ Pearly imagined Kylie’s pleasure at the unexpected raise, his own magnanimous modesty. Already he was coming to regard it as a joint initiative; in time he would forget completely that the idea wasn’t his alone.

‘Good,’ said Anne. ‘I’ll have a think about it later. I’m just doing our spread for the community paper. I notice Harcourts is doing a lot more of the larger ads now and including more internals.’

‘Our stuff’s fine. You’re good at it, Bobbie-Anne.’ Just occasionally Pearly used her full Christian name when he wanted to compliment her, and she accepted with a smile because she understood the motivation.

‘I’d better get on,’ she said.

‘Jaffa?’ said Pearly.

‘No, thanks,’ and she went back to her own office. Pearly sat for a while watching Kylie at her desk in reception. She deserved an increase. Rawleigh and Gates was doing okay, better than okay, though Pearly didn’t say so to outsiders because it was tempting fate. You never knew in business, and things could change quickly. He’d seen it happen. People with ability and application going under because of circumstances over which they had no control — new products, new regulations, a roading change, a fickle public. He’d had a couple of worrying times in his own business career. ‘Steady as she goes, Pearly,’ he murmured, then moved his tongue carefully in his mouth to check the pain.

That was the first thing Helen asked about when he got home, and she looked into his mouth to see the bite. ‘I know it feels bad, but the mouth’s very sensitive — so many different nerves with different functions, so anything there is acute. But the good thing is that saliva’s a great natural antiseptic. That’s why you see animals licking their wounds.’

‘It doesn’t feel as swollen now.’

‘I’d just be careful about what you eat and drink at dinner.’

Pearly told her about the decision to give Kylie an increase. ‘We reckon it’s overdue and well deserved. We don’t want her to up and leave, although there’s no suggestion of that.’

‘Fair enough,’ said Helen. ‘How much more will you give her?’

‘We’re looking at it tomorrow. Forty-five, fifty bucks maybe.’

‘Good one. I like Kylie. I’m off to the shower now. Could you tidy up here?’