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there was a tap on the door. My head snapped up.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œIt’s Morgan, Clare. I was wondering if you’d join me for a drink before lunch?”
    â€œOh Morgan, I’d love to!” A wave of grateful relief washed over me; I shouldn’t after all have to sit waiting by myself.
    â€œDid you enjoy your walk?” he asked, as we went together down the stairs.
    â€œYes, thanks. I went up the hill.”
    â€œPerhaps we could go farther afield this afternoon? I’ve done quite enough work for a Saturday!”
    â€œOh, I—” For the second time I embarked on the story I’d been given. “I’m expecting someone any minute. I’m – not sure I’ll be free this afternoon.”
    I realised with a sudden sinking of the heart that Aladdin would expect me to spend all my time with him, as would be only natural for lovers. But how could I be constantly with him, without giving myself away?
    Morgan glanced at my face, took my arm and led me into the cocktail lounge.
    â€œA girlfriend?” he asked. It was differently phrased from Clive’s question, but it meant the same.
    I looked away. “No.”
    â€œOh, well, the luck of the draw, I suppose. I might have known you were too pretty to be unattached.”
    The cocktail lounge was small and bright, the large semicircular bar unit taking up most of the room. There were a few tables round the wall.
    â€œDon’t let’s sit in the window,” I said quickly.
    He raised his eyebrows but made no comment. We threaded our way past some people I hadn’t seen before – passing trade, no doubt – to a table at the far side.
    â€œNow, what’s it to be? Sherry?”
    â€œCould I have a gin and tonic?”
    â€œIn need of something stronger? Of course.”
    I looked at him sharply, but he’d turned away to order. The clock above the bar moved jerkily forward one minute. The hands pointed to twelve thirty-five. My heart was beginning to pound again. I wished I dared confide in Morgan, but how did I know I could trust him? The situation was too potentially dangerous to rely on feminine intuition.
    â€œHere we are.” He was beside me, setting the drinks on the table.
    At least he’d be with me, to help me over the initial meeting. Then a thought struck me, jerking my hand so that the drink spilled on the table. I’d be expected to introduce him to Aladdin!
    Panic engulfed me. Why hadn’t I thought of this? Why in the name of heaven hadn’t I tried to find out the real name of the man due any minute? Was there time to run out and ask Mrs Davies? Yet what possible reason could I give?
    But before I could formulate any emergency plan, the sound of a car turning off the road reached us through the open window and the next minute a dark car swept past. It was too late.
    There was the scrunch of feet on the gravel, but the entrance lay between us and the car park and the new arrival didn’t pass the window. I imagined rather than heard the whisper of the swing doors, and voices in the hall. He’d probably look for me in the lounge. Would he take his case upstairs? Had I any chance of a hasty look at the register? How many seconds had I?
    A ruddy-faced man at the next table laughed uproariously.
Oh, be quiet
, I implored him silently.
How can I hear
—?
    Then suddenly the man who must surely be Aladdin was in the doorway. My hands clenched in an uncontrollable spasm and I felt myself go rigid. His eyes moved swiftly down the room, found mine, and he stiffened. There was on his face a frozen look of disbelief. Oh God! I thought raspingly, oh God!
    For a timeless aeon which could only have been seconds, we stared across the room at each other. Then, with an obvious effort, he forced the semblance of a smile and made his way over to me, his eyes still locked on mine. He bent down, kissed me lightly, and said, with only a slight tremor in his voice,