Konstantin couldn’t help himself. It had been brewing since the moment his feet went from under him and when he caught sight of the young lady’s mortification – at least what he could see of it from behind her hands – he burst out laughing with aplomb, still lying on the ground for the moment as he didn’t fully trust himself to get up successfully at present. He glanced towards her as he finally sat up, still chuckling at the situation but trying his best to behave with more sobriety for the sake of her feelings.

“No, please, I’m the one who ought to be sorry,” Konstantin said with an unusually broad smile. He brushed down the back of his coat as best he could as he glanced towards the dogs cavorting around. They were certainly yapping up a storm between them but Konstantin didn’t think they were likely to descend into a scrap – in fact Brian was sniffing around quite aggressively and was showing no sign of intending to run away again…curious. Apparently he had decided to listen at last.

“I do believe we may be safe to try again,” he pushed himself off the ground and to his feet swiftly, balancing for a moment before straightening up, arms spread away from his body theatrically as he glanced back over his shoulder with a grin. “So far, so good.” He turned, holding out his hand. “Your turn. I promise I shall not drop you this time.”