With each new bid I felt my heart thumping harder in my chest. Françoise was tugging at my sleeve now, gaping at me open-mouthed. Neither of us could believe what was happening in the room at that moment. And then, there was a brief lull, and the auctioneer surveyed the crowd and as he did so, the two men who had been standing in front of me blocking my view parted a little so that I had the painting of Claude clearly in my sights, and I saw my horse, the pain and agony in his deep, dark eyes. And I realised that what was happening in this room right now, it was ridiculous to me. I didn’t care in the end how much money my painting made. All I cared about, all I had ever cared about, was Claude. So why was I here now when I should be at his side?

It was only once I turned to leave that I realised just how full the auction room had become. Behind me people were crammed in all the way to the door. There was no room to squeeze through and nobody looked like no one was going to move aside for me either.

“I’m sorry! I have to go!” I tried to elbow and push my way through but they barricaded me in! One woman glared at me and said something in French in a snooty tone. I could feel my blood boiling. I tried to part the crowd again, in French this time. “Je suis desolé! Pardon, pardon …”

Oh, come on! Move! “Please! I have to go!”

I was having trouble breathing now, the claustrophobia had kicked in and I was about to completely lose my mind and begin clawing at people like a wild animal when, like a miracle, the crowd directly in front of me suddenly parted and I saw Nicole.

“It’s OK, Chou-chou!” She grabbed me by the wrist. I mean really grabbed me. I felt her long scarlet nails dig into my flesh a little as she pulled me forward, easing me through the crowds. “Come with me now. I have you!”

She put her arm around my shoulder and I felt a bit like a celebrity being ushered through the paparazzi by their bodyguard. Nicole cut a slender figure, but her presence was formidable and there was something about her haughty demeanour that made people fall back and let us through. In a moment she had me out of the auction room and we were in the grand foyer and then on the marble stairs and tumbling together out through the elegant glass doors of Lucie’s to emerge into the outside world.

Even out here, the pavements were busy, thronging with people who hadn’t been able to fit inside the auction house. The café beside Lucie’s was overflowing onto the pavement, with elegant couples sipping drinks.