‘Hullo,’ she said, ‘were you looking for me?’ Hugh came forward a step. ‘Or my husband?’ Matilda’s voice tightened. ‘He’s around somewhere, I’ll call him.’ She raised her voice and called loudly, ‘Tom. Darling? There’s a man here to see you –’ She edged towards the telephone.

‘Matilda.’ Hugh stepped forward. ‘It’s me, don’t be frightened.’

‘Oh!’ Matilda whispered. ‘My God, you scared me. I nearly wet my knickers. How d’you do it? You’ve changed yourself completely. I thought you were the police.’ She sat down abruptly.

‘It’s good, isn’t it?’ Hugh turned around so that she could see him. ‘What do you think?’

‘Those trousers were Mark’s.’

‘Not Tom’s?’

‘No, and the jacket was Claud’s until he took to wearing suede. Where did you find the glasses?’

‘In the hall cupboard.’

‘Those were Anabel’s when enormous lenses were in fashion. They make your nose quite small. What’s this in aid of?’

‘I want to get out. I’m getting claustrophobia. I feel like taking you out to lunch and a swim. What do you say?’

‘Risky.’

‘I have to start some time. Come on, it will give me confidence if I’m with you.’

‘We can’t start off together, nobody knows you are here.’

‘Very well. I’ll go through the copse and meet you at the bus stop.’

‘I must change my clothes, get my bathing things. I don’t think you should risk it.’

‘Come on, Matilda, try.’

‘Wait a minute then.’

Matilda went upstairs and snatched up a cardigan, put on a clean shirt, combed her hair, excited.

‘Okay, I’m ready.’

‘Give me ten minutes’ start.’ Hugh left the house.

Ten minutes gives me time to ring the police. Ten minutes gives me time to make a plan with them. She watched the clock jerk its minute hand. ‘Ten minutes is a life,’ she said to Gus as she filled his bowl with maize. ‘Why does he tempt me with ten minutes?’ She locked the back door, put the key under the scraper, went to the car and sat with her eyes on her watch until the ten minutes had passed.

Hugh sat on a stile by the bus stop, Folly beside him. He got in beside Matilda. Folly sat behind.

‘First mistake was to bring Folly. She’s been seen with me. People think she’s mine. You mustn’t do that again.’

‘Right, I won’t.’

‘You shouldn’t have given me ten minutes. I might have phoned the police.’

‘But you didn’t?’

‘No, but please don’t do it again. I thought of doing it.’

Hugh laughed. ‘There are two Matildas, one who phones the police and one who is kind and loves Gus. For all I know there are many more; those are just the two I’ve met.’

‘How many of you?’

‘Count.’