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so she would have a full house.
    Although it was the gallery owner ’s objective to promote the art and not particular artists, Arianna always went above and beyond for the artist she was showcasing. This had gone down very well over the last two years for her gallery; she had always wanted her gallery to operate with passion for the art and the artist. She was building up a strong client base among a number of contemporary collectors and now wanted to improve on that by at least 30 per cent by the end of the year.
    Arianna was very astute when it came to business ; during the slow times at her gallery, she would rent out the space to local businesses wanting somewhere classy to entertain their clients. She offered a full package, which included catering, and this had proved a great success since she introduced it 12 months previous. She had several bookings a month, which covered the rent for the most part. She had become respected amongst business owners in the area and had also gained a few clients through them via referrals.
    The best dealers were not salesmen in the classic sense of the word. Their passion and their connoisseurship, as well as their knowledge, has to combine to convince someone to buy something that has no ostensible function in life, and that is a very difficult thing to do. Arianna had more than enough passion for what she did, and an incredibly good eye. Art was one of the great loves of her life, and the knowledge she had gained while at university only served to increase her passion. She had always had a natural affinity for art, even as a young child.
    After she finished her cup of tea, Arianna grabbed her keys and headed to Sully’s Catering Services, situated at the top of the high street. She wanted to check that everything was going well and the platters would be served on time that evening. She’d hired the catering company as she always did when she had a show. Her two assistants kindly agreed to act as waitresses for the evening and she’d roped in an old friend to act as a meet-and-greet person at the entrance, to give it that added professional touch. The wine she’d ordered had arrived the day before and she borrowed a box of wine glasses from a local restaurant, which was more than happy to help out. Satisfied that everything was in hand, she walked over to her gallery. As she walked through the doors and took a final look at Oliver’s art on display, she smiled as she remembered the very first time she’d met Oliver. He was very quiet, a man of few words, and he’d simply handed over his portfolio as he didn’t have his work on disk. He remained quiet and fidgety while she flipped through the pages, in awe at the brilliance of his talent. On viewing his work, there was no doubt in her mind that she would offer him the exhibition space in her gallery. Arianna walked up to a painting and aligned it to please her eye, and then headed back out of the door.

Chapter seven
    After unpacking his bag and glancing around the large, open-plan apartment with approval, Ben walked out onto the large balcony overlooking the beautiful marina. There was plenty of room for Charlie to lie down and enjoy the sun and it was complete with table and chairs. He took in the beautiful view of the marina, laid out before him like a picture-perfect postcard. He could have been anywhere in Europe right now, he thought; the view was breathtaking and he felt instantly uplifted. The marina was glistening like diamonds and the sky was a clear deep blue.
    “ Not bad, hey? I knew you’d like it,” said Tristan, slipping into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
    “ This is amazing, Tristan, a real good find.” Ben took in a deep breath and ruffled Charlie’s head. “Come on, boy, you need to stretch your legs. I’m popping out for ten minutes, Tristan, I’ll grab some beers while I’m gone,” he shouted as he headed out of the door.
    Brighton ’s only drawback, Ben always felt, was the stony beach. Unlike