Before the door closed behind her, Zoe risked a look out at the street. The taxi driver was driving away and there weren’t any more cars to be seen or heard. She fiddled with one of her diamond earrings distractedly as George steered her into a large room.

She looked at the hubbub around her. Men and women were tangled on couches, the floor, against the wall or any surface they could find. Several men were dancing with one girl who was dancing in the middle of them. She looked barely older than Zoe herself, maybe a year or so, but she had a fearful look in her eye.

As George entered the room, the level of noise lowered to a hush and as he waved his hand distractedly, the girls untangled themselves or stopped what they were doing and headed out of the room, and headed upstairs, Zoe presumed, hearing creaking steps. There must have been 5 or 6 men still in the room as some had also left at the same time, but through the front door. The men sat down as Zoe was led by George out of the room and into the hall.