"I'm not experienced," she said, slipping out the door and heading down the steps, trying not to jostle the handbag too much.

It gave her a slight smile to think of the look on Luigi's if he knew she was bringing a cat into the restaurant. Luigi had been nothing but kind to her, and he didn't deserve it, but she imagined her colleagues enjoyment of taking the piss out of the poor man had somehow rubbed off on her.

"I just clearly have an instinct with animals that you lack," she added haughtily.