‘Would you like me to take a look?’ he asked hopefully, reaching out a hand.

‘No, she would not,’ Hope said, determinedly forestalling him. ‘Behave yourself. In fact, why don’t you go to the restaurant-car and order something for this young lady?’ She added sternly, ‘Both of you.’

Like obedient little boys, both men rose and departed without a word. Hope chuckled.

‘Now, signorina-it is signorina?’

‘Signorina Edmunds. But, please, call me Ferne. After what your family has done for me, let’s not be formal.’

‘Good. In that case-’

There was a knock on the door and a steward looked in.

‘Oh yes, you want to make up the berths,’ Hope said. ‘Let’s join the men.’

As they went along the corridor, Hope asked, ‘Where is your sleeping berth?’

‘I don’t have one,’ Ferne admitted. ‘I booked at the last minute and everything was taken.’

By now they had reached the dining-car, where Toni and Dante had taken a table. Dante stood up and graciously showed her to the seat beside him.

‘Here’s the ticket inspector,’ Hope said. ‘Let’s get the formalities out of the way before we eat. They may be able to find you a berth.’

But from that moment things went horribly wrong. As the others showed their paperwork, Ferne scrabbled hopelessly in her bag, finally facing the terrible truth.

‘It’s gone,’ she whispered. ‘Everything. My money, the tickets-they must have fallen out when I fell on the platform.’

Another search produced no result. Disaster!

‘My passport’s gone too!’ she gasped. ‘I’ve got to go back.’

But the train was now travelling at full speed.

‘It doesn’t stop until Naples,’ Hope explained.

‘They’ll stop to throw me off when they find out I’ve no ticket and no money,’ Ferne said frantically.

Hope’s voice was soothing. ‘Let’s see what we can do about that.’

Toni began to speak to the inspector in Italian. After a while he produced his credit card.