He was dressed informally but expensively in slacks and a silk shirt, and Helen had to admit that everything Dilys said had been true, although ‘Greek god’ was a bit of an overstatement, she thought, giving the matter serious attention. But ‘life-guard’ definitely, and with a look of relish that said the world was there to be enjoyed, and what were they waiting for?

Suddenly she found herself thinking of wine goblets filled to the brim, of golden plates piled high with the fruits of the earth, hot suns, lovers’ meetings, passion, satiation; all the good things, the complete, perfect, richly coloured, overflowing things that spoke of abundance and fulfilment.

No, not spoke. Sang. As she was singing now.

For pity’s sake! she thought in alarm. Pull yourself together.

With an effort she got down to some work. There was glossy literature distributed everywhere, and she scanned it quickly, absorbing everything with her retentive memory until she felt confident of being able to do what was expected of her. Then she plunged into the crowd, at her sparkling best.

After half an hour she took a short breather. Looking around for some refreshment she found a glass of champagne put into her hand by a lean young man with very blond looks and a kind face.

‘You look as if you need it, my darling,’ he said, a tad theatrically.

‘I do, I do,’ she said thankfully. ‘Bless you, Erik.’

He was an under manager at Elroys. They had been to the theatre together a few times and once she had taken him to meet her parents. Their relationship was as much friendly as romantic, but she knew that in the hotel they were considered an item.

‘Back to work,’ she said, finishing the champagne. ‘There’s a mountain to climb yet.’

She returned to the fray for more smiling and shaking hands, until after an hour she felt ready for another breather, and edged to the side of the room.

‘It gets to you, doesn’t it?’ said a voice beside her. She looked up to find the ‘life-guard’ grinning down at her. They laughed together, and it was as though she had been laughing with this charmer all her life.