As Dottie cleared away, Jack appeared and began to cash up. “Has it been a good evening, Dorothea?” he asked kindly.

Dottie made a face. “I wish you wouldn't call me Dorothea.”

The old man grinned. “Perhaps I should call you Ms. Hebden, then?”

“You do and you're dead,” she told him amiably. “Dottie's good enough for me.”

“There's a few hamburgers left over,” Jack said. “If you fancy them.”

She scooped them up eagerly. This was a valuable perk for people who were living on nothing so that Mike could save up for his own garage. She bid Jack good-night and headed for the corner table, tapping Brenda firmly on the shoulder.

“Hands off! He's mine!” But she said it with a good-natured smile.

Brenda grinned back. “Bet he's not. Bet I could have him off you.”

“Bet you couldn't!”

“Bet I could!”

“Oi!” Mike objected mildly. “D'you two mind not talking about me like I wasn't here?”

He allowed his fiancée to shepherd him to the door, only pausing to call back, “Better check your food for arsenic tomorrow, Bren.”

“Well if I do poison her it'll be your fault,” Dottie said when they were outside. “Serve her right for putting her head so close to yours.”

“It was just gossip,” Mike protested. “She's been reading that magazine again. Royal Secrets.”

“Her and her royal scandals! That's all she thinks of. What is it this time?”

“The king of Elluria can't be the king 'cos his parents weren't properly wed.”

Dottie yawned. “Well, they'll find another one. Come on, I've got some free hamburgers.”

“Good for you! I'm starving.”

Chapter One

The avenue of lime trees stretched into the distance, the tips faintly touched by the crimson of the setting sun. Randolph regarded with indifference a scene he'd watched a thousand times before. It was as useful as listening to the conversation going on behind him, which he'd also been through a thousand times before-or at least it felt like it. And while he kept his back to the room nobody could study his face.