She was conscious of a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. She had even considered cancelling their date; she really didn’t want to see him. But there was Maya to consider. The evening had been at her invitation. And besides, Maya had said that she had something important to show her. Eva thought of her grandfather. She simply couldn’t not go. The doorman swung the door open as she approached and Eva stepped out of the cool air-conditioning of the hotel into the humid early evening of the street outside. Immediately, she was conscious of the noise of the traffic, the dust, the smell of the food sizzling in oily cauldrons nearby. ‘Eva.’ Ramon had got out of the car and now he approached, bent to kiss her. ‘You look lovely as always,’ he murmured. ‘Hello, Ramon. Thank you.’ After some deliberation, she had chosen a simple long white linen skirt and loose shirt, which she was wearing with her velvet Burmese slippers and embroidered Shan bag. Her hair, she had swept and pinned up, and, once again, she was wearing her mother’s pearls.
