I fetched it, with lots of ice. The day had been very warm. I don’t expect him to have a reason for calling but he always has one. This time it was to talk about the Paddington Basin project, we’d have to take on extra help. I wasn’t kidding myself he and I could do it on our own, was I? How about our regular customers? Or suppose there was an emergency? Darren strolled about the roof garden, lifting his hands, opening them, nodding and shaking his head. He’s never much of a one for sitting down. Very tall, slim, with that peculiar feline grace that belongs only to the black man, a lazy, laid-back carriage, he’s one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen. Silver wasn’t in the same league. Darren is very dark, his skin is matte ebony and his hair coal-black tight curls that he wears very short and like a crown on top of his head, the sides and nape being closely shaved. His two gold earrings he has discarded since Olympia told him dads don’t wear them.

“What do you suggest?” I said, knowing he’d have some relative or friend up his sleeve.

“Campaspe’s brother. He’s a good bloke and a good workman.”

“All right. Have him around and we’ll give him the once-over.”

“I’ll have another orange juice if that’s okay and then I’ll be on my way.”

“Help yourself. It’s in the fridge.”

Mabel slipped off my lap and followed him in. I heard him saying, “Kitty, kitty, kitty . . .” and hoped he wasn’t giving her milk, which she loves but is bad for her. Darren had never been into the flat that way before, until a week before it hadn’t been warm enough to sit outside, and when he came out again with his orange juice he said, “Who’s the young guy in the silver frame?”

I realized when he said that how young Daniel looked in that photograph and that he would stay young forever as I grew older. People would soon start asking me if he was my nephew or my godson.

“Just someone I used to spend some time with,” I said.

“Okay, Emmylou, I won’t probe.”

I nearly told him then about the pylon. I would have if he hadn’t looked at his watch and said he wanted to get to Junilla’s before Callum’s bedtime. After he had gone I thought how I don’t tell people, I’ve told no one but Silver since I came to London, perhaps because while I was still living at home with my parents everyone knew, I used to think the whole of Suffolk knew. In London, however little I was aware of it at the time, I was making a new start.