She brushed out her hair and added a little more make-up. Then she was ready.

She was a few minutes late at the restaurant, but there was no sign of Dan. She ordered herself a sherry, and sat waiting, hoping he wouldn’t be too long.

‘Do you mind if I join you?’

She looked up to see Carson Page standing, regarding her gravely.

‘Are you waiting for someone?’ he asked.

‘Yes, Dan-my boyfriend. He’s a little late.’

‘Then I’ll only stay a moment.’ He sat down. ‘I just wanted to let you know that your car will be finished the day after next.’

‘I know. I called the garage. Mr Page-’

‘Carson.’

‘Carson, I had no idea you were going to replace the engine. There was no need for that.’

‘According to the garage, there was every need.’

‘You know what I mean. I want to pay you-not immediately, but in instalments-’

‘All right, pay me one day. Now, can we forget this?’

She agreed, with a horrid suspicion that she was boring him. ‘How did you know I’d be here?’ she asked.

‘I was going to drop in at your office, but I arrived just as you were getting into a taxi. So I told my taxi to follow you.’

He ordered himself a drink, and she watched him, trying to tie this man in with the ogre Dulcie had described. ‘Difficult and demanding’ she could understand. Even when he was being kind, his air of pride and self-will were unmistakable. A bad enemy. A man who expected things done his way, and at once. A disturbing man. An exciting man.

She tried to brush that idea away, but it lurked on the fringe of her consciousness, taking little pot-shots at her more sedate thoughts.

He was different from other men, as a lion was different from kittens. She wished Dan would hurry up and arrive. Something was happening here that was threatening her carefully constructed world, and if she hurried she might still be in time to avoid it.