For the first time in months Patrick felt he might actually get to like a girl. Michelle was a career woman. She was personal secretary to the managing director of an export firm and Patrick had met her by accident in the man’s office. Unlike her predecessors, she had a brain in her head and her talk stimulated him.

She chose her own food and Patrick was gratified at her appetite. He hated women who picked at their dinner, worried that every mouthful would be an extra pound in weight. Especially when the meal cost a small fortune.

But Michelle was the kind of woman who lived life to the full.

‘I’ve never been here before. Do you use this restaurant a lot? The maître d’ seemed to know you.’

Patrick had the grace to blush.

The maître d’ also knew how many women he had brought here. At one time they had run a book in the kitchen on how long a particular girl would last. Michelle deserved better than that. It was the reason he had never brought Kate here.

‘It’s local, you know. I don’t always fancy driving into the Smoke.’

She chatted on and Patrick watched her, fascinated. She really was a lovely girl.

As Willy and Kate walked into the restaurant, arm in arm, the maître d’ walked towards them with a happy smile on his face. It was Friday night, the place was packed, and he could hear the cash tills ringing. Pierre, real name Albert Diggins, had a part ownership of the Cartella, and now it was really paying its way, he was a happy man. He walked towards Kate and Willy, wondering briefly what such an attractive woman was doing with such an ugly man.

‘Name, monsieur?’

‘It’s Gabney. Mr William Gabney. I reserved a table for two.’

‘Ah, the special table. I remember the booking, I took it myself.’

He smiled widely enough to encompass them both and any strangers in the vicinity. Gabney’s was the champagne table that was costing the man a hundred pounds already.

‘Please, follow me.’

He swept out his arm. Kate, stifling a smile, followed with Willy. She was still holding his arm when Patrick Kelly looked up from his steak and saw them. He nearly choked.

Kate looked into his face and saw her own shock mirrored there. She watched the blonde goddess sitting opposite him get up out of her seat and playfully pat him on the back while he coughed. The action caused the girl’s breasts to shimmy in such a way they caught the eye not only of Willy and every other male diner in the place but also of Pierre, who walked into a chair, doing himself a painful injury.

Kate didn’t know how she kept her head. Clutching her arm tighter, Willy followed a practically cross-legged Pierre to their table.

It was only about six feet from Patrick’s and the champagne was already there on ice.