It was four o’clock when David arrived, and he waited patiently for the greater length of time it took Diana to open the door, which now had to be unlocked from the inside first. David had keys of his own, but they were for an emergency, not for the privilege of letting himself into the house at his own convenience.

‘There you are,’ Diana said with an eagerness of her own.

Constance stood right behind her with a smile whose brilliance still startled David.

‘We have a surprise for you,’ she announced.

‘Let him take off his coat,’ Diana said.

That took longer than he had anticipated, for the package which had slipped into the pocket so easily was much more reluctant to come out. What would have been a cause for embarrassment some weeks ago now turned them into giggling children together as first David, then Constance, and finally Diana made attempts to extract it. Diana succeeded with damage to only one corner of the wrapping which exposed an anonymous black corner of the player.

‘Whatever can it be?’ Constance asked.

‘Come along,’ Diana said. ‘David must see his first.’

They led him into the living room, and there by the fire was a new high-backed armchair.

‘We wanted you to have your own here,’ Diana explained.

It absurdly touched him, and only his vow never to lose control of his emotions in this room again kept his sudden tears from welling over.

‘Try it,’ Constance urged.

Obediently he did.

‘Is it comfortable?’ Diana asked. ‘I had a man in the store who was about your size help me choose it.’

‘Perfect!’ David pronounced, and it was.

‘What I like about it,’ Constance said, ‘is that I keep forgetting it’s new. It looks as if it’s always been there.’

Port and fruitcake had been set out on the coffee table, and Diana filled their glasses and passed the cake around before she and Constance settled to open their presents, Diana the player, Constance the discs.

‘What do we have?’ Diana asked, bewildered.

David took the player from her and plugged it in to the existing amplifier as he had been shown how to do at the shop. He turned the selector switch to ‘other’, opened one of the discs, and placed it in the little player.

‘It’s really easier than a record,’ he said as he demonstrated, ‘and it will never wear out.’

Then out into the room came the strains of a double violin concerto as pure and present as David had remembered it. He looked from one to the other, watching the surprise and growing delight on each of their faces. They did not interrupt to exclaim. David sat down in his own chair and gave himself up to the music. None of them moved or spoke for a moment after the sound ceased. Then both Constance and Diana spoke at once.