HUGH LOOKED AWAY from Matilda, finding her tears embarrassing. Betrayed husbands come two a penny, he thought, but a goose – that’s different. The dog, sitting with her nose towards the heat of the Rayburn, glanced over her shoulder. She had bright little black eyes. She wriggled her haunches, getting closer to the warmth. He wondered where she came from, who had abandoned her.

‘Have you got any money?’ Matilda retrieved his attention.

‘Not an awful lot. I cashed a cheque – er –’

‘After killing your mother?’

‘Yes.’

Matilda sniffed, whether from contempt or to stop the last tear he couldn’t tell. ‘I have quite a lot in London but –’

‘You can’t go there, the police –’

‘I suppose not.’

‘They will have your money.’

‘No, it’s hidden in a safe place.’

‘You sure?’

‘Yes, I have a cache.’

‘I can lend you money. I can cash a cheque, overdraw if need be. I can fetch your money. I’d like to.’

‘That would put you to a lot of inconvenience, danger.’

‘I’d like it. It would amuse me. It would be fun.’

‘Law breaking.’

‘No more to me than parking on a yellow line.’

‘An adventure?’

‘I suppose so. Have you a passport?’

‘Yes. I was going to Greece after visiting my mother. I’ve got my passport and a bit of money. I left my bag there though.’

‘How much? Count it.’

Hugh pulled his wallet from his back pocket and started counting. ‘Nearly two hundred.’

‘That won’t get you far. How much do you have in London?’

‘Two thousand in cash.’

‘Well then.’

‘To get it I –’

‘I’ll get it. I’ve told you. Trust me. I’ll go to London. You stay here and keep hidden. I’ll fix you up with food. Keep out of sight. The rest’s easy.’

‘I need clothes.’

‘Yes, the whole world knows what you are wearing. There are some of Tom’s, a few things of Mark’s and Claud’s which they left here.’

‘Your husband’s?’

‘He wouldn’t mind. He didn’t die here, he went to stay with a friend in Paris –’ she paused.

‘And the friend was Death?’

‘That’s who it turned out to be.’

‘He must have been very lonely without you.’

‘Perhaps. No, no, I don’t think lonely.’

‘Dying on his own.’

‘Don’t say that, you have no right.’

‘Why didn’t you go too?’

‘I never went to Paris with him. I had responsibilities here, things to do.’

‘Such as?’

‘The children, our animals.’

‘I thought they were grown up.’

‘They are. They weren’t even here. It was –’

‘What was it?’

‘What right have you to catechise? What business is it of yours?’

‘None. Idle curiosity, I suppose.’