“Nobody was spying. I really think you need to take a long hard look at the way your mind’s working these days, and if you can’t or won’t, find somebody who will. I don’t believe it’s been right since Bella came into Roy’s life. Do you resent her having such an interest in your aunt that you can’t share it with him any more? Is that why you’re jealous?”

“I’ve already told you I’m nothing of the kind. I’m glad you brought her up, because—”

“And for the record, I’m here today because I swapped days off so Hannah could go to a wedding.”

“Good luck to the happy couple.” At once I wished I hadn’t said that, at least not so cynically. “Look, we oughtn’t to be arguing,” I said and opened the book on the cushion, which shifted like a bag of worms. “We should be talking about this.”

Julia kept her displeased gaze on me. “You always wanted to control our disagreements, didn’t you? Calling a halt as soon as you’d had enough, especially if it was going against you.”

“I’m just suggesting you might be more concerned if you saw what Roy’s been reading.”

“I’m perfectly familiar with the contents of our archive.” As I opened my mouth to doubt she’d read every book Julia said “And if anyone’s responsible for Roy getting involved in that sort of thing I’m very much afraid it’s you, Patrick.”

“I didn’t bring him here to see this. Bella did.”

Julia looked sad, though hardly sympathetic. “Is that what it’s all about? Finding somebody to blame for what you wish you hadn’t done?”

“I didn’t even know the book existed.” When Julia gave this a stare that scarcely bothered to express weariness, I said “Just read some of this and perhaps you won’t be so—Just read.”

She leaned over my shoulder, taking care we didn’t touch. Far sooner than I would have hoped, she straightened up. “I’m not wasting any more time on that. If there’s something in it you want me to see, show me.”

“Nothing specific that I’ve found yet, but if you read just one page—”

“I’ve told you I haven’t the time. And I’m surprised you’re so anxious now for me to read it when you obviously didn’t want me to know you’d been here.”

“I would have told you if I’d found anything we ought to be worried about. That’s to say I’ve been trying to tell you now.”