‘What do you mean?’

‘Have you seen the way that Greenbaum is strutting around this morning? Like the cock of the bloody walk.’

‘He’s always like that,’ said Christine. ‘Ignore him. Ah, good morning, Joseph. You’re looking pleased with yourself.’

‘And well I might be,’ said Greenbaum, all smiles and winks and rosy-cheeked good humour. ‘I’ve not looked forward to a day so much for a long time.’

‘I hope you’re not disappointed.’

‘I won’t be,’ he said, waving chubby fingers over his shoulder. ‘See you in court, Christine!’

‘See what I mean?’ hissed John. ‘Trouble’s brewing.’

‘They’re just trying to psyche us,’ said Christine. ‘I can handle him, don’t you worry.’

‘They’ve got something up their sleeve. She’s given them something new. I can feel it.’

‘It’s not like you to be jumpy, John. Buck up. Can’t go into court looking like we’ve already lost.’

Rivelli was waiting in the lobby, sharp-suited as ever.

‘We do trust him, don’t we, Christine?’

‘I have no reason not to. Do you?’

‘I don’t know. I tried to call him last night too. Couldn’t get hold of him either.’ Rivelli saw them, smiled and started walking over. ‘Was he by any chance with you?’

Christine had no time to ask what he meant. Rivelli was upon them.

Victoria was grateful to Joel, and eager to get rid of him now that he had served his purpose. She had a new distraction in the shape of Leanne, who had money as well as love to offer. Let someone else listen to Joel’s incessant babble, let someone else satisfy his increasing appetite for sexual sumbission. At the end of a long, drawn-out row, she patted him on the backside and suggested he found himself a sugar-daddy.

‘I’m not a whore,’ he said.

Victoria looked horrified. ‘Oh! The very thought!’ She put on her jacket, arranged her hair, put on some lipstick and snapped the compact shut. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I have a meeting with a gallery owner.’

She had nothing of the sort, but it sounded good.

‘Can’t I come?’

‘Darling,’ she said, stroking the side of his handsome, stubbly face, ‘you’d be bored out of your mind.’ He stuck out his lower lip, and looked so pitiful that Victoria felt obliged to do something for him.

‘Look, I tell you what. I’ll phone up a girlfriend of mine who works for a model agency. They’re always looking for sexy boys like you.’

‘Really?’

‘Sure. If you’re not going to use your arse to make money, you might as well use your pretty face. You could do very well. You’ve certainly got the temperament of a male model.’

Joel seemed to take this as a compliment.