They pecked each other on the cheek, and he blushed like a schoolboy.

‘Right, let’s face the music,’ said Isabelle, knowing that Fiona Walker was waiting for her, like a dragon curled round a hoard of bad news.

‘It won’t be that bad,’ said Dan, seeing the look on her face. ‘Nothing that can’t be sorted.’

‘Quite honestly,’ said Isabelle, as he opened the door to Fiona’s lair, ‘I couldn’t care less.’

‘Ah, Isabelle.’ Fiona looked up over her glasses, her metallic red bob swinging on either side of her jaw like curtains. ‘Good of you to come in.’ She gestured towards chairs. Dan held one out for Isabelle, got her seated. Fiona looked down at the papers on her desk, a headmistress reading over a report card.

‘We’ve been very worried about you, Isabelle,’ she said, taking off her glasses.

‘Thanks. Things are pretty rough at the moment. Will is . . .’

‘In fact, we’re pretty much reaching the end of our tether.’

‘Ah.’

‘We’re very seriously out of pocket on the Cissé account.’

‘You’re not the only one,’ said Isabelle, with a touch of levity that she instantly regretted.

I can’t do it alone . . .

‘And I wondered if you could tell us when we might expect to be paid?’

‘The thing is, we’re still waiting for money from Rivelli.’

‘That’s not our problem,’ said Fiona, and Dan shifted uneasily in his seat. ‘I warned you about Rivelli, but you wouldn’t listen. He’s done this to so many people. He’s put better people than you out of business.’

This was getting personal, and Isabelle did not trust herself to speak.

‘That money is being pursued through the courts, I believe,’ said Dan. ‘We can hardly expect them to pay us while that’s going on.’

Isabelle glanced up, and saw Fiona’s gorgon gaze turning on her business partner. ‘Dan,’ she said, ‘could you get the Cissé file for me, please?’

‘I’ve got it right here,’ said Dan, not budging.

Fiona breathed deeply, but did not blush. Isabelle imagined that, if she did, it would be a greenish colour.

‘We are in a very awkward position,’ said Fiona. ‘We have a relationship with our key retail clients, and if we can’t fulfil our obligations to them then we have to take steps to repair that situation.’

‘I know that, but the thing is, Will . . .’

‘Just this morning, I’ve had Debenhams on the phone, asking where the new Cissé stuff is. I didn’t know what to tell them. Do you have any suggestions?’

‘No, I’m sorry, but while . . .’

Dan interrupted. ‘How about reminding them that a Cissé dress just featured at the Oscars and they should be rethinking their pricing structure for next season?’

Fiona took a long, slow drink of water. Isabelle watched the rim of the glass in case ice crystals started forming.