‘Which sounds like another name for female intuition to me. Why not be honest and admit it?’

Her eyes flashed, magnificently. ‘Signor Whatever-Your-Name-Is-if you just came in here to be offensive you’re wasting your time. The weight of this necklace is wrong. A genuine Etruscan necklace would have weighed just a little more. Did you know that scientific tests have proved that Etruscan gold was always the same precise weight, and-?’

She was away again, facts and figures tumbling out of her mouth at speed, totally assured and in command of her subject. Except that she was completely wrong, he thought grimly. If this was the level of her expertise it was no wonder her business was failing.

‘Fine, fine,’ he said trying to placate her. ‘I’m sure you’re right.’

‘Please don’t patronise me!’

He was about to respond in kind when he checked himself, wondering where his wits were wandering. When he’d considered this encounter his plans hadn’t included letting her needle him to the point of losing his temper. Coolness was everything. That was how victories were won, deals were made, life was organised to advantage. And she’d blown it away in five minutes.

‘Forgive me,’ he said with an effort. ‘I didn’t mean to be impolite.’

‘Well, I suppose it’s understandable, considering how much poorer I’ve just left you.’

‘I don’t accept that you have left me poorer, since I don’t accept your valuation.’

‘I can understand that you wouldn’t,’ she said in a kindly voice that took him to the limit of exasperation. She handed him back the necklace. ‘When you return to Rome why don’t you ask your friend to take another look at this? Only don’t believe a word he says because he doesn’t know the difference between Greek and Etruscan.’

‘I’ll collect you here at seven o’clock,’ Marco said, from behind a tight smile.

CHAPTER TWO