Should she have said Good afternoon? Nice day, isn’t it? Asked whether he knew of a suitable kitten? Should she have said anything? To say nothing seemed so rude. Had she really seen what she thought she had seen?

In the supermarket she filled her basket with groceries, took two bottles of whisky from the shelf, paid at the check-out. He probably did it to everybody. It might be part of village life, something everyone knew about. She didn’t want the village saying, ‘That new woman at the White House is making trouble.’ He passed the plate very nicely in church, waited for people to fumble for change.

She couldn’t mention her encounter in the chemist, where the girl in the white uniform looked young and lofty as she took the prescription. ‘Will you come back for it or wait? It will be ten minutes.’

‘I’ll wait.’ There was a notice-board with lists of forthcoming events neatly pinned. Lists of lectures and films. Curious, thought Margaret, staring at the board, I have never except for my husband and Claud seen a man’s penis. Claud had the neatest little thing as a baby, rather like an acorn.

‘Mrs Bannister,’ called the girl in the overall, ‘your prescription.’

Margaret paid. ‘I don’t really need these,’ she said. The girl looked down her nose. Outside the shop Margaret bumped into Claud.

‘Claud!’ She was joyously surprised. They hugged.

‘Mother! I thought I saw you in there. Let me take your shopping.’

‘I was going to invite you over when I got straight.’

‘So you don’t want to see me? It’s weeks, months—’

‘Is it? Time goes so—of course I want to see you. I didn’t want to interrupt your work,’ she lied.

‘I’m taking an hour or two off. I thought I’d visit your new palazzo. This is jolly heavy. Buying booze now, that’s not like you.’

‘In case of visitors. Would you like a bottle to take back?’

‘Thanks, I would. I’ll hoard it for a future celebration. Look, I’ve borrowed Ann Kennedy’s car. I’ll drive you home.’ He put the basket on the back seat, first taking one of the bottles and propping it in a corner. ‘Get in, here we go! Which way now?’

‘Turn right here and down that lane.’ The old man had disappeared. Should she tell Claud? He had not been circumcised, she had noticed that; both Claud and his father were. ‘One lives and learns,’ she said.

‘Learns what?’ Claud changed gear.