The sound of charter buses returning from the Sacramento Valley was unmistakable. Caydance moved her drawing table back into its usual place beneath the window, prepared to cook the now oven-ready pizza, changed into clean jeans and a blue silver cashmere sweater, brushed her hair.

The door opened; in came Griff. He had not intended to tell her that Huygens beat the Harriers but instead to build up suspense as they watched the new film that lay at the top of his travelling bag. "Huygens 34 Sac Valley 17", he said. He picked her up, kissed her and was about to move immediately into the bedroom when he saw the homemade pizza on the sideboard. "First beer and pizza, then showers, then game film", he said decisively.

Served with beer from a local brewery, the pizza was the best Caydance had ever made. Later it would be time for Strawberry pie with whipped cream. She had not yet decided when to tell Griff that Mackie Alarie had escaped from jail.

The couch in the coach's cottage was venerable but large and comfortable. Griff put the film of the Sac Valley Huygens game into the video slot and punched play.