On the next Sunday, Pearly and Helen went there, driving into the rolling hills, with the mountains a higher cut-out on the horizon. The country road was narrow but sealed. When Pearly was young it had been shingled, dangerous heaps on the outer side of the corners, and occasional oncoming vehicles trailing a parachute of dust. For him the landscape had the comforting familiarity of an old coat. Scattered cabbage trees on the flanks of the brown hills, matagouri and briar in some of the steeper gullies, and here and there pale grey limestone outcrops worn smooth at their base where sheep congregated for shade. As mayor, Pearly publicly acknowledged the benefits of dairy farming to the district as a whole, but in his heart he rejoiced that it had been unable to conquer the country most dear to him.

Richie and Natalie were at the house, and almost immediately the four sat down for lunch. Cold mutton, beetroot, potato, but also a salad with olives and a Central Otago riesling. Pearly’s father had drunk only tea and beer, but Richie had become quite interested in wine, and it provided a topic of mutual interest for the brothers.

‘What do you reckon?’ said Richie, holding his glass close to his face.

‘I like it,’ said Pearly. ‘Not too sweet, and it lingers in the mouth.’

‘What about you, Helen?’

‘Very nice. I’m a sav blanc girl myself, but this is easy drinking.’

‘You know how much we appreciate coming back here so often,’ said Pearly. ‘It’s great. Thanks.’

The kitchen had been completely renovated, and the interior retained no special associations for Pearly, but the view seemed the same as it had always been. The lawn bordered by his mother’s standard roses, the vegetable patch, the straight concrete path to the gate in the hedge that kept stock from the gardens, and beyond that the slope to the kennels, the sheds, the yards, with creek willows at a distance, and, beyond it all the hills, climbing higher to the west. Pearly looked out as the conversation went on, and felt at ease encompassed by a landscape he knew so well.