‘Do you want to know why I am calling?’
‘Yes, it’s late.’ She wished she could tape the call.
‘Do you like ballet?’
‘Yes. I do. Very much.’
‘I have been given two tickets. I would love it if you could join me; perhaps we could have a little supper afterwards, at the Ivy?’
‘Oh, well, er, yes. I love ballet.’ She swallowed hard. ‘When are the tickets for?’
‘Tomorrow night. Very short notice I know, but’
‘I’m so sorry, Mr Daniels’
‘No, no, no — Alan,’ he interrupted.
‘Unfortunately, I will be away.’ She almost said she was going to America, but stopped herself. ‘Thank you very much for thinking of me, Alan.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘To Manchester,’ she lied.
‘What are you going to Manchester for?’ he asked.
‘Erm, on business.’
‘We might still be able to get together. What time do you get back?’
‘The thing is, I might have to stay over. My chief said it was possible.’
‘Ah, well, perhaps another time, then. Would you like me to call you again?’
‘Yes, yes, I would. Thank you for thinking of me.’
‘Of course. Goodnight, Anna.’ He replaced the receiver.
Her phone number was not in the book. How had he got it? In the shower, she went over every word of their conversation. No way had Alan Daniels simply speculated that she might like ballet. She adored ballet. How did he know that?
She made herself a sandwich and a cup of tea. The call had really taken the edge off her excitement at leaving for the States. Eventually, she got into bed. Reaching for the bedside lamp, she stopped and withdrew her hand. The photograph of her father had been turned out to face the room. She touched it every night before she went to sleep. It was always facing towards her, towards the bed, not away from it.
She squeezed her eyes tight shut. She was scared. Had she moved the frame when she was tidying up that morning? She tried to recall exactly what she had done, but inside she knew she hadn’t moved it. She had left her front door open when she went down to the bins, but only for a few minutes. Had he been in her home?
Anna got up and walked round her small flat. After making sure that nothing else had been moved, she double-locked her front door, throwing the bolt across it, which was something she rarely ever did. She returned to bed, pulling the duvet up to her chin. In the darkness, what had felt safe before now felt frightening: the way the dressing-table mirror reflected the street-light through the curtains and the sight of the wardrobe door left slightly ajar all of a sudden made her heart pound. Could someone be hiding in there? She told herself not to be such a wimp, but she turned on her bedside lamp all the same. She looked at her father’s strong face in the photograph and whispered: ‘Was someone here, Daddy?’
At the airport next morning, Anna spotted Langton immediately. He carried a lightweight, folding suit bag and no other luggage. She joined him at the Virgin desk with her suitcase.
‘Can you carry that on the plane?’ he said sceptically.
‘I can put the handle down,’ she insisted.
‘Good. The less time we waste hanging around for luggage, the better.’
After they were checked in, they headed through to Departures. Langton did his usual fast-paced walk; Anna, wheeling her case after him, had to trot to keep up.
‘I want to buy a camera,’ he said, hastily heading towards duty free. She waited in the background as he trailed from counter to counter, musing and picking up one camera after another. He eventually decided on a small zoom-lens job and after he had paid for it, set off at his usual fast pace, this time to buy cigarettes and a bottle of malt whisky. Next, he was inspecting perfumes and asking her which one she preferred, since he was at a loss.
‘It depends on who you are buying it for,’ Anna replied, itching to know.
‘Just give yourself a spray of that and let me smell it.’
She sprayed her wrist with a tester bottle. When he held her hand and sniffed, it was like an electric shock.
‘Right, that’ll do.’ As he sniffed her wrist again, she started to redden.
‘She’ll like that,’ he said, meeting her eyes. Then, as an afterthought, he added, ‘It’s for Kitty,’ before he was off to the counter to pay for the bottle of perfume.
She watched him go. He was wearing a grey suit she had never seen before and a pale blue shirt with white cuffs and collar. All that and a close shave; he was looking very attractive.
Eventually they were on board. She sat herself into the window seat and fixed her safety belt while he removed his jacket, folding it neatly to place above him in the locker. When he sat beside her and drew his belt closed, they were so close her shoulder touched his.
‘Did you know Barolli hates flying?’ he said, reaching to take the in-flight magazine from the seat pocket in front.
‘Daniels called me last night,’ she said quietly.
‘What?’ He put his magazine down and turned to face her.
‘He called me at home, after ten. He said my number was in the book, but it isn’t.’
He stared at her, uncomprehending. ‘Why didn’t you tell me before? What did he say?’
She repeated the conversation, almost word for word.
‘That it?’ he said, when she had finished.
She hesitated. When she woke up that morning, she was less sure that she had not moved her father’s picture herself. ‘Yes.’
‘Tell me something, Travis. Do you fancy him?’
‘No, I do not!’ she said sharply. ‘Speaking of which, I don’t know what you told Barolli went on at Queen’s Gate, but I don’t find his jokes very funny.’
‘Don’t be so uptight. Listen, if Daniels asks you out again, I want you to accept. We’ll monitor your calls. And if you go out with him, we’ll keep tabs on you.’
He was looking so elated by her information that Anna felt a little resentful.
‘Oh, thank you very much. Don’t ask how I feel about it!’