Allegra passed me the bottle of red and I carefully poured myself a half glass, I didn’t want to overdo it, or I could get drunk! Could you imagine that: a prime minister getting tipsy in lockdown? It would be a scandal, an outrage. Anyway, I finished the glass just as the dinner of roast beef and potatoes arrived; I tucked in straightaway.

Throughout the night, we drank, and we sang, and we danced as well. Dominic told me I was quite a good dancer: I was chuffed to hear that. During the party, I sort of got caught up in all the hullabaloo and I completely forgot about my duty in the time of COVID-19. I wasn’t supposed to be partying! Alas, we continued further into the night, and it really was a blast.

Then suddenly, I heard a knock at the door. Panic washed over me. Could I be caught? What would happen to me?

‘Hide!’ I shouted to everyone. Some ran upstairs and the others scattered. Taking a steady breath, I walked down the corridor and opened the large, black door. Putting on my work face, I swung open the door and saw a policeman dressed in the usual metropolitan uniform with an umbrella to shelter him from the rain. His face looked serious, and he said, ‘May I speak with you?’

‘Of course!’ I replied, ‘What about?’

‘I have had some noise complaints coming from houses nearby, it is 11 o’clock at night what could possibly be causing this?’ Inquired the policeman, a note of curiosity clouded his voice.

I froze, I had not the skills to answer this question. I spat out a few jumbled words which didn’t take the form of a sentence. I had been caught. Could I be going to prison?