‘Of course not. But it is true, Mr J. L. B. Matekoni: marriage changes people. For some people it can be quite a surprise.’

‘Yes, I know that, but there is something about Mma Makutsi I would like to raise, Mma – if you don’t mind.’

Mma Ramotswe looked at him expectantly. ‘Please do, Rra. We have all the time in the world.’

He frowned. ‘But we don’t have all the time in the world, Mma Ramotswe…’

She gently encouraged him. ‘No, of course we don’t, but we certainly have enough time for you to say something.’

He looked out over the garden, out towards the mopipi tree of which Mma Ramotswe was so proud. Not everyone had a mopipi tree in the garden and she had been solicitous of its welfare, giving it more water than a tree might otherwise expect.

‘A question,’ he said. ‘When did Mma Makutsi get married? Was it seven months ago? Eight?’

Mma Ramotswe did a quick calculation. ‘It was just after the first rains, wasn’t it? Which makes it about ten or eleven months ago.’

Mr J. L. B. Matekoni looked thoughtful. ‘Then that is the answer,’ he said.

‘The answer to what? To when she got married?’

He shook his head. ‘Pregnant, Mma. Mma Makutsi must be pregnant.’

It was the simple conviction with which he spoke that struck Mma Ramotswe. It was as if Mr J. L. B. Matekoni had said something as obvious and uncomplicated as: ‘This car needs new brakes’ or ‘Your problem is in the fuel supply’.

She was surprised that he had noticed. She had very recently seen the signs, but men often did not spot these things. ‘I think she probably is,’ she said. ‘But I’ve decided that it is better to leave it up to her to tell me. I’m sure she will.’

‘She may think you can’t tell,’ he said. ‘Those dresses she wears are like tents. Anything could be happening under there. She could even have several people living under those dresses for all we know.’

Mma Ramotswe laughed. ‘But it’s odd that she hasn’t mentioned it yet. Why would she not have told me before this?’

He shrugged. ‘Sometimes people don’t want other people to know because they are worried that everything might not go well. Then everybody ends up disappointed.’

Mma Ramotswe had another theory. ‘I think she’s worried about asking for time off to have the baby. She’s very conscientious, you know. I think she may have been putting it off because of that.’