‘No,’ said Mma Makutsi. ‘Almost, but not quite. Now she is getting out – look at her. And… Ow! I think she has scratched the van with her door, Mma. Look, she’s bending down to examine it.’

They watched as Mma Kutso, unaware that she was being observed, moistened a finger on her tongue and then dabbed at the paintwork of Mma Ramotswe’s van. Mma Ramotswe raised an eyebrow but managed to appear not overly concerned.

‘My van has had worse experiences than that,’ she said. She paused before continuing. ‘And Mma Sheba is a proper lawyer, you know, Mma Makutsi.’

Mma Makutsi shrugged. ‘People should be more careful, especially lawyers.’ She paused, and then muttered, ‘So-called.’

Mma Ramotswe let the remark pass. She did not hold it against her visitor that she parked a bit too close to her van; it was never easy to judge these things exactly. Mma Makutsi was perhaps a bit too ready to comment adversely on the driving of others, when she herself was not the possessor of a driving licence and was only now getting round to having lessons from Patrick’s Patient Driving School.

‘Your lessons, Mma,’ Mma Ramotswe asked. ‘How is your own parking progressing?’

‘It is very accurate,’ said Mma Makutsi. ‘We have done going forward into the parking place and now we are doing going backwards into same. Next it will be parallel parking.’ She began to make her way to the door to admit Mma Sheba. ‘I expect I shall achieve high marks in the test, when I take it.’

Ninety-seven per cent, thought Mma Ramotswe but did not say it, though she might have done so had Mma Sheba not entered the room.

The visitor greeted Mma Ramotswe courteously, asking after not only her own health but also the health of Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, of Motholeli and of Puso. She received a full answer to each of these enquiries: Mr J. L. B. Matekoni was in good shape, but could do to lose a small amount of weight; Motholeli had suffered from an in-growing toenail but this had been dealt with satisfactorily and she was far more comfortable now; and Puso was growing quickly, but still seemed to have a great deal of energy left to run about the place, ride his bicycle and climb trees.

‘And I am very well too, Mma,’ said Mma Makutsi loudly.

The lawyer turned round. Although the tone of Mma Makutsi’s voice had been tetchy, she smiled civilly at their visitor.

‘I’m pleased to hear that, Mma,’ Mma Sheba said. ‘You are certainly looking very well.’

Mma Ramotswe joined in. ‘Mma Makutsi was married recently, Mma. You may have heard of it. It was a very good wedding.’