He was unsure as to whether she was joking. ‘No,’ he said. ‘I only believe in things I can see.’ He paused. ‘Has there ever been a confirmed sighting of an angel? Has anybody ever photographed one?’

Elspeth thought about this. ‘So you only believe in things that you can photograph?’

He hesitated. But it was true, he thought: we should only believe in that which we can either see for ourselves – with senses that we can trust because we experience them directly – or in things that can be proved to be perceptible to others. That was where photography came in. If something could be seen, then it could be photographed. And if there were no photographs, then that meant that either nobody had ever had a camera ready at the right time, or the thing in question did not exist. There were no photographs of angels. None.

‘Yes,’ said Matthew. ‘That’s what I believe. If something exists, then it should be possible to photograph it.’

‘Such as love,’ said Elspeth.

Matthew frowned. ‘What’s love got to do with it?’

‘Does love exist?’

Matthew laughed. ‘Of course it does. I love you, don’t I?’

‘But you can’t photograph it,’ said Elspeth simply. ‘You can’t, can you?’

Matthew smiled. ‘That’s different. Love is an emotional state.’

‘Is it?’ asked Elspeth. ‘Is that all it is?’

Matthew looked at the menu. ‘I wonder what their mozzarella is like?’ he asked. Then he pointed to the magazine. ‘What does your horoscope say, anyway?’

Elspeth looked down at the page. She thought that she had won that little debate, but Matthew obviously did not want to pursue it. So she read from her horoscope. ‘The stars say …’ she began. ‘The stars say this: “You will receive advice from a well-intentioned person. Do not disregard it. You will also meet an old friend who needs your help and understanding. Do not turn him or her away.”’

Matthew nodded in mock-seriousness. ‘Very wise,’ he said. ‘And what about me? Will I meet an angel, perhaps?’

Elspeth ignored the jibe. ‘Your stars,’ she said, looking down the page. ‘Here you are. “You will be given a warning. The person who gives you this warning will have your interests at heart. Do not ignore what he has to say to you. Lucky colour: yellow. Lucky number: 3.141.”’

‘Pie?’ said Matthew, looking back at the menu.

69. On Subsidence

Matthew looked at his watch. ‘We have to hurry,’ he said. ‘The surveyor will be there in fifteen minutes.’