Sometimes over the following week Pearly thought about Deidre receiving the letter and imagined her reaction, sometimes he forgot about it in the press of his own business and that of the Council, sometimes he wished he hadn’t sent it, sometimes he rebuked himself for not having talked it over with Helen. But it was done to win, and winning was what Pearly had become accustomed to. He reasoned that he would be just sharing the truth, no lies were told, and anyway he’d left Deidre with choices.

He was at the council chambers when Philip rang, and he swivelled his chair around and looked out to the museum park. He had come in early, and there was still a triangle of frost on the grass shadowed by the main building, some blackbirds on the power lines still hunched against the cold. ‘I wanted to tell you first. I’m pulling out of the election,’ Philip said.

‘I appreciate your telling me. I hope the decision’s got nothing to do with your health.’

‘No, nothing like that. I’ve realised it’s not fair on Deidre. Most of the bookshop work would fall on her. You and I know the hours worked by a mayor. People have no idea. Anyway, we’ve talked it over again. We should have faced up to it earlier, but there’s all these issues I’m keen on pushing forward, as you well know.’

‘You’ll still stand for council again, though?’ Pearly saw a tall, elderly man slip suddenly on frost at the corner and fall to his knees; stay still and kneeling for a moment as if in prayer before righting himself, brushing his dark trousers and coat, looking about him to see if his ignominy had been witnessed.

‘I intend to,’ said Philip. ‘Who knows what effect the news will have on my chances. I’ll probably be seen as a ditherer.’

‘No effect, I’d say,’ said Pearly. There was a pause, and he watched the tall man go on gingerly down the street, both hands now out of his coat pockets.

‘I’d quite understand if you weren’t interested in having me as your deputy.’

‘Look, Philip, it’s early days, but if we both come back in I think we’d still make a good team. I don’t hold any grudge. And a third term will certainly be the lot for me.’

‘Thanks for that. It’s never been a personal thing between us. I’ll endorse you unreservedly. I guess I just didn’t think it all through sufficiently, especially the impact on Deidre. I dunno really. It’s family first, isn’t it?’

‘Every time,’ said Pearly. ‘I appreciate being told before you go public.’ He felt no great sense of victory but wondered how candid Deidre had needed to be in order to persuade her husband to withdraw. Most likely he’d never know.