The club was smoky, of course – everywhere was – but it wasn’t unpleasant like that nasty pub in Preston, or awkward like waiting in the car in that street in Blackburn. But it was a disappointing end to what Gina had thought was her treat. She really had imagined a little dance band, a dance floor with couples, the ladies in pretty dresses, moving gently to the light, romantic songs. She sat there feeling mutinous and wondered if she should just get up and go. But that was a ridiculous idea. How would she get back to Grindle Hall? It was miles away and, although she had a little money in her handbag, it was probably far too late in the evening for her to get a train to Blackburn, then to Clitheroe and then … well, something – anything – to take her the rest of the way home.

‘What’s the man’s name?’ she asked sulkily.

‘Who?’

‘The man you do business with.’

‘It isn’t a man, Gina,’ said James. ‘Look, I can see you’re fed up, but it won’t take very long and then we’ll go home, all right?’

She pursed her lips and sat back, looking away. She knew she was behaving like a naughty child but she couldn’t help it. She felt she was being let down, that the promised evening was just an excuse for James to have company while he did whatever this ‘business’ was. He’d even asked her if she wanted to go to a club, when all the time he had arranged to see someone here anyway.

‘James, there you are.’ A tall woman with jet-black hair, big earrings and a coat with a fur collar approached their table. She looked at Gina with a raised eyebrow.

‘This is Gina, a friend of mine,’ said James, who had risen to his feet when the woman arrived.

‘Hello, Gina,’ said the woman. ‘James, shall we …?’

‘Excuse me, please, Gina. I’ll be back soon.’ He stopped a passing waiter. ‘Another gin and tonic for the lady, please,’ he ordered, indicating Gina.

‘I don’t want—’ Gina started to say, but it was as if she were an infant and the grown-ups were ignoring her.

James and the woman disappeared through a door at the back of the room and Gina was left alone, sulking. She had taken risks on many occasions in her life – mainly shoplifting or stealing money; and certainly she had told more lies and made up more stories than she could remember – but here she knew she was completely out of her depth. She had no idea who this woman was or what she wanted with James in the back room, and she knew little of what James had been doing at the pub in Preston or anything about the visits to Blackburn and now here. Not only that, but she was tired, she was bored, and she felt sidelined and used.