Pat now lent Elspeth a comb so that she could tidy her ruffled hair. They were all shocked by what had occurred, but it did not take long for the conversation to return to normal. This was not before Big Lou had confessed that she had always had her reservations about Kirsty and that her departure was by no means premature. Pat agreed with this, and complimented Elspeth on her prompt and decisive action.

They spent the next hour in pleasant conversation about books. Big Lou had been reading William Dalrymple’s Nine Lives, a book about the various forms of spirituality to be encountered in India. ‘I’m reading about the Jains at the moment,’ she told them. ‘Do you realise that they wear masks when they ride bicycles so that they don’t destroy insects by swallowing them? And do you realise that they watch their footfall very closely to avoid crushing any living creature?’

‘It must be difficult,’ said Pat. ‘I suppose I crushed a lot of things walking down from Marchmont this morning.’

‘The world is full of suffering and death,’ said Elspeth.

After this conversation, Elspeth made her way over to Moray Place. The new surveyor was waiting for her, and they went into the flat together.

‘Very nice place this,’ said the surveyor. ‘One has to pay for these flats, though.’

‘How much?’ asked Elspeth.

‘Over a million,’ said the surveyor. ‘Or thereabouts – in this market. Very nice. Nice feel to it.’

‘Matthew was told that a supporting wall had been removed,’ said Elspeth. ‘Bruce Anderson said that the ceiling is being held up by that Chinese cabinet over there.’

The surveyor burst out laughing. ‘Him? He said that? What absolute nonsense. Here, I’ll show you.’

And with that he strode across the room and gave the Chinese cabinet a good push. It moved several inches, and when he pushed it again, it moved some more.

‘See? Absolute nonsense. And that’s a strengthened beam in there – I’m pretty sure of it. You’re quite all right.’

‘So Moray Place isn’t going to fall down after all?’ asked Elspeth.

‘Fall down? Of course not. Moray Place is very sound structurally. These are beautifully built houses – strong as the Rock of Gibraltar – if the Rock of Gibraltar is still strong, that is.’

‘One used to use the Bank of England as a metaphor for strength,’ remarked Elspeth.

The surveyor laughed. ‘Used to,’ he said. ‘But that’s another question altogether.’

‘So everything’s fine?’

‘Of course it is. This is a lovely flat in a very fine part of town. There’s nothing wrong with Moray Place.’

They left the flat shortly thereafter. ‘You can reassure your husband,’ said the surveyor. ‘Tell him that he’s made a very wise purchase. I’m even a bit envious!’