“Maybe they should have concentrated more on her,” I said.

“We won’t argue,” Julia said, which generally used to mean we would. “Must go, but you can always leave a message, Roy. Don’t sit around reading, both of you. Get out and about and enjoy your day.”

Once she’d gone Roy said “Thanks for not saying about last night.”

“I didn’t have the opportunity.”

“You won’t, though, will you? You don’t want to bother her when she doesn’t have to be.”

“I’ll refrain if you promise to do nothing of the kind again.”

“All right.”

“No, I want to hear you promise.”

“All right,” Roy said more reproachfully than I found appropriate, “promise.”

“Don’t sound so victimised. I’m only looking out for you. You’ve got a good brain, so take care of it. I’d have you as a student right now if I could.”

“No chance of that. They wouldn’t let me in.”

“They’re accepting people I’d say were less qualified than you. I’m sure you’ll have your choice of university when the time comes.”

“If I want one. I don’t want to end up like you and mum.”

I didn’t know whether I felt more insulted or dismayed. “How have we let you down?”

“Not me, yourselves. You wish you were teaching better people and she hates books and wants to get away from them.”

“I wouldn’t say she hates them. She’s a librarian, after all. She just has enough of them at work.”

“She never liked us bringing books home. That’s where studying got you both.”

“She doesn’t stop you reading, does she?” When his head admitted to a shake I said “I hope you’ll never say any of that to her.”

“I won’t if you don’t tell her about last night.”

“You don’t want to upset her when there’s no need, do you?”

“You don’t either.”

I felt as if I’d strayed into a trap I’d set myself. “Then perhaps we’d better do as she suggested. What do you want to do today?”

“Don’t know,” he said as dully as only a teenager could, and then “Maybe I do.”

“Anything at all.” I didn’t pause long before adding “Within reason.”

“We were going to look at the places your aunt wrote in her book.”

“We could, but not today. They’re all some way off.”

“The wood by her house isn’t.”

“I don’t believe that’s in the book.”

“She painted it, didn’t she? That’s nearly the same.” As if he’d exhausted his efforts, which in any case had proved pointless, Roy said “Don’t if you don’t want.”