‘Hullo? Oh darling!’ – a cry of joyful greeting. ‘How lovely to hear your voice. Where are you? In England . . . how long for? Oh . . . shall I see you? Oh, I see . . . yes, of course, too busy . . . no, no, of course you must . . . yes . . . no . . . no, of course not . . . yes, I’m well, of course I am . . . yes . . . no . . . really? . . . well, best of luck, it sounds a brilliant idea, quite honest too . . . what? . . . I said quite honest too . . . must rush . . . goodbye.’ He heard the telephone ping as she rang off. Several minutes passed before she came outside.

‘That was Claud.’

‘Too busy to see you?’

‘Yes. He has a new venture. So like Claud. It’s brilliant. I hope it makes him lots of lolly.’

‘I talked to my mother like that.’ Hugh watched her.

‘Me too, but I hated mine and she me, whereas Claud –’

‘Is too busy.’

‘I had to be quick to be the first to ring off.’

‘I noticed.’

‘I used to drag on until he said, “I must go now, Mama.” I’ve learned. I’ve learned to be the first to ring off.’ She looked sidelong at Hugh for approval. ‘It’s hard learning not to be a bore. I damn near invited him to my funeral but –’ She began to laugh.

‘What’s the joke?’

‘His new venture. He’s buying up old gravestones with beautiful inscriptions to sell to Americans. He’s going up to Yorkshire where they are turning several graveyards into car parks.’

‘Who sells them?’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t ask!’ Matilda broke into cheerful giggles. ‘An impoverished curate perhaps? The Church of England doesn’t pay well, so –’

‘If you found some round here?’

‘I’d see him then of course. He might even stay the night and charge up the County Hotel to an expense account.’

Hugh said nothing.

‘It does prove it’s time to be off.’ Matilda sounded almost pleased as she reversed disappointment to hope.

‘To London?’

‘To the next world.’

‘Will he phone again?’ Hugh found himself hating Claud.

‘No, no, that’s my ration.’

13

TWO DAYS PASSED. The weather stayed hot. Her feeling of trepidation subsided; Matilda grew calm. Hugh gave no trouble. He ate sparingly, slept a lot, spent hours out of sight in the copse with the dog. In a conscious effort to act normally Matilda worked in the garden, shopped in the village, read the papers, watched television, went to bed, got up at her usual time, cleaned the house in a desultory manner and cooked meals for herself and Hugh. She decided on action.

‘I must ring up John/Piers, he always gives me a bed in London. Tom and I always stayed with him. He was my friend but became more Tom’s. I’ll telephone tonight and fix it. It’s a very comfortable house. Perhaps you know him? John seems to know everybody, he’s very social.’

‘No, never heard of him.’