“I am happy to have been able to help you, Mma Ramotswe,” he said. “It’s all part of the service.”

“But you have been especially helpful,” she said.

He shrugged modestly. And then he said, “You’re a private detective, aren’t you, Mma? You have that place out on the Tlokweng Road—near that garage?”

“I’m that person,” she said.

There was a silence. “Do you think you could do me a favour, Mma?”

She had not expected the request quite so soon, and she knew it would be hard to turn him down. She hoped that his request would not be too bizarre; sometimes people wanted to know the strangest things.

He lowered his voice as he revealed his request. “There is a certain young woman, Mma. She is a very beautiful young woman and there are many men who think that she would make a good wife.”

“And are you one of those, Rra?”

He looked embarrassed. “You could say that, Mma.”

“Well, I wish you success,” said Mma Ramotswe. “But I cannot make a woman like a particular man, you know.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t ask you to do that, Mma. No, I know you couldn’t do that.”

“So what would you like me to do?”

He hesitated. “She has a boyfriend, Mma. He’s a useless fellow. You only need to look at him and you think useless.”

“I see. But obviously she doesn’t think that, does she?”

He sighed. “I don’t think she knows her own mind. But I feel that if we could find out some concrete facts about this man—about how useless he is, then the scales would fall from her eyes and she would get rid of him.”

She looked at him, bemused. “I’m sorry, Rra. I can’t do that.”

She had expected more of a reaction, but his response was muted. “Oh well, I thought I’d ask.”

“I’m sure you’ll find another young woman. There are many nice girls around. Many of them would like to marry a handsome young man like you.”

“Couldn’t you find one for me, Mma?”

“Don’t you have any aunts to do this for you?”

He shook his head. “I had two aunts, Mma, but they are late now. That’s why I’m asking you.”

It came as a sudden, heartfelt plea, and she was taken aback. She was on the point of saying that the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was not a marriage bureau, and then, looking at him, she suddenly relented.

“I could try,” she said.

“Oh, Mma, that is all I ask. Find a nice girl who will not be troublesome and who does not have greedy uncles expecting too many cattle. Please could you try that for me?”

“I will, Rra. I’ll need a bit of time, but I shall do what I can.”

“You can have more than forty-five seconds,” he said, and laughed.