‘What a good idea,’ said Laura. ‘Where will you put them?’ (Is there such a thing as circular incest? She considered her own question in all its permutations.)

‘Well, darling, since you are never there, we thought the flat at the back. We will knock down your joke wall, of course.’

‘Of course,’ said Laura. ‘Is that what you wanted to tell me?’ She suppressed a shiver.

‘I don’t like your tone of voice,’ said Emily.

‘It won’t be worrying you for long, Mother.’

‘But you will come and stay with us,’ said Nicholas.

‘There will be no reason to.’ Laura kept her voice level.

‘But you are Emily’s child, she’s your mother.’

‘And what are you, Nicholas?’ Laura asked. ‘What are you to me?’

Nicholas did not reply.

‘Your coffee is getting cold,’ said Laura. ‘Drink it up.’

‘It would choke me.’ Nicholas put the cup aside.

‘Tell me this, Nicholas. When I was collecting those empty bottles just now did you, too, remember a party years ago?’

Nicholas stared at Laura.

If I were writing a book, thought Laura, I would write that his mouth is working but it isn’t and I don’t feel anything, no extra pain, nothing. ‘I think I have stunned myself with housework,’ she said. ‘Of course I will get out of my bit of the house. You have no need of me, I have no need of you. It’s a pity, but there, never mind.’

‘We thought,’ said Emily, ‘that with your business in London, your flat wherever it is, and the men you live with whoever they are, that it is a terrible bore for you just to come down from a sense of duty.’

It is, thought Laura, but this time Nicholas begged me to come, said you were dying. ‘Wolf, cry wolf,’ she said. (Surely it is better to be facetious than to accuse?) ‘Nicholas,’ she said cruelly, ‘what’s the matter, you are looking funny?’

Nicholas stood with his back to the light, his hands clenched to fists in his dressing-gown pockets. She could see his black eyes reflecting her own. ‘Is this happening to us?’ he said, ignoring Emily. ‘An ordinary family?’

‘I hope no one will ever call us that,’ protested Emily with her usual sharp spirit. ‘We are too remarkable. What’s the fuss about?’ She looked from Laura to Nicholas. ‘We only want your rooms for servants or whatever they like to be called these days. I suppose they will consider us ordinary. Am I missing something?’ she asked. ‘Some nuance?’

‘No,’ said Laura, exchanging a glance with Nicholas, ‘I don’t think you are missing anything.’

‘A few days ago you said you loved us.’ Nicholas ignored his sister.

‘So I did.’ Laura stood up. ‘Finished your coffee?’ she asked. ‘I’ll see to your lunch. I bought fish.’

‘Laura.’ Nicholas followed her out of the room.

‘It’s all right,’ said Laura, ‘nothing’s changed.’

‘Oh dear,’ said Nicholas, ‘oh dear, oh dear.’