‘Who is?’ said Frances, ‘God isn’t it hot!’ She and Emmy Lou plonked themselves down on the floor by the big open window with the others. Frances’ large bosom wobbled, then settled. ‘God he is charm incarnate of course but he does go on, that Terence, what’s the matter with him today? He’s not just ordinarily drunk, he sounds as if he’s on something – he’s telling stories like a man possessed. He doesn’t have to do that here, poor thing. He forgets we know him.’ She stared across at Terence. ‘Who’s that blonde woman in that extraordinary purple dress hanging on to his arm, don’t we know her from somewhere?’

‘Oh my God,’ said Emmy Lou, ‘look – it’s that one who couldn’t act, with the little-girl voice, you know, that American who thought she was Judy Garland.’

Izzy followed her gaze. ‘Oh that’s Simone Taylor,’ she said, ‘yes, don’t you remember she was in our class, she used to be in love with Terence, don’t you remember? Don’t you remember that time he wouldn’t go with her to dinner to meet her parents who were over from New York and she lay down on the staircase and wept and banged on the bannister with her stiletto heel and screamed: I LOVE TERENCE, I LOVE TERENCE?’

Frances’ infectious laugh echoed round the room. ‘The one who used to sing Judy Garland songs kind of leaning on the piano? Is that her? Damn I haven’t got my glasses.’

‘That’s her. She’d seen The Wizard of Oz and Easter Parade and A Star is Born far far too often,’ said Emmy, grinning. ‘Still, if she’d hung on in there maybe she could’ve become a gay icon!’

‘Thanks,’ said Harry dryly.

Even Anthony was laughing. ‘Jesus wept,’ he said, ‘I remember her, Simone Taylor, she talked like Minnie Mouse.’

‘Sssssh,’ said Izzy Fields. ‘She’s now a Cosmetics Executive and lives in New York and is very rich and has two cadillacs.’ The others turned to her in astonishment. ‘Well, I’ve been talking to her,’ said Izzy rather apologetically, ‘well she’s been talking to me strictly speaking, we didn’t discuss my illustrious career. She’s fifty-six now, we had birthdays close together I remembered, but she still talks in a little-girl voice; it does sound a bit odd.’ And then, because she was a charitable person, Izzy added, ‘Very nice hair though, nicely cut and coloured.’

‘She’s kind of glued herself to Terence,’ said Emmy Lou who had the best view through the groups of actors still gathered everywhere, ‘like a purple limpet. But he’s so drunk now I honestly don’t think he’s noticed.’

Harry stared across the room at Terence Blue.