Mrs Hyde-Underwood shuddered. ‘I don’t know how you stand it down there. We English roses wilt in all the humidity. Bad enough up here. The mozzies are terrible. Not to mention the stink bugs and flying ants. After a dry spell the floors are covered in their corpses. And you can end up with stink bugs floating about in your drinks. Revolting.’ Her mouth twitched at the corners and Evie could tell she would have liked to be back in England.

Turning to look at Evie, she said, ‘But I think you should know I’ve told Reggie that if your husband should ever ask him to work over at Batu Lembah, I’m on the next ship home.’

‘Batu Lembah?’

‘The other Barrington estate. Near Butterworth. I presumed you would be living there.’

‘No. At the moment I’m staying in the house in George Town. My husband joins us most weekends.’ She swallowed, hoping the exaggeration wasn’t evident.

‘Right. Of course. I’d forgotten. The late Mrs Barrington didn’t like Batu Lembah and preferred to be in town. I suppose all her friends were in George Town.’ Susan Hyde-Underwood looked wistful. ‘It can be very lonely being an estate manager’s wife. All very well for the men. They have their work and the company that offers. But for us girls, most of the time you’re the only white woman for miles, stuck on your own, day in, day out. If I didn’t have my garden I’d probably have gone mad. But if Mr Barrington ever insisted we were to leave Bellavista and move over to the mainland, well, I’m sorry to say this to you, but we will definitely be heading straight back to England.’

‘What makes you think he’d ask you to do that?’

‘Nothing really. But this house was his family’s home. And I suppose now I know about you… I have to admit, Mrs Barrington…I’m wondering whether he’s brought you up here to look around with a view to you both moving here.’

‘He hasn’t said anything like that to me. Quite the contrary. I’ve been nagging him to show me around the estate – I was surprised this morning when he finally agreed. I suppose he thought it would be easier than bringing me over to Butterworth.’ As she sought to reassure the woman, Evie admitted to herself that actually living up here might be preferable to George Town. At least it was cooler and far from the club and Veronica Leighton.

‘I’m sorry. I just wanted to be straight with you. It’s probably me being particularly anxious because of the baby being imminent.’ She told Evie when it was due, adding, ‘I’ve waited so long for a child. I’d begun to despair of it ever happening. I’d started to think it was the wretched climate here. And just as I’d given up hope, bingo! I realised it had happened at last. As you can imagine, we’re both over the moon. Reggie’s convinced it’s a boy and a Malayan lady in one of the kampungs took one look at me and said I was having a boy. I’m increasingly sure of it myself, but I’ll be happy either way.’