The staff are polishing glasses and restocking the imported booze that arrived today, speciality brands for specific members, and milling around aimlessly.

‘Give me an ice water,’ Alexi commands, loud enough that I can hear him from here as the tender jumps to action, and I bury my face back in my file. Pretending I’m fine and not fully aware of him and his every movement.

Joanne appears almost like a bad smell and immediately hones on our returning Lothario, making a ...