A waiter was warning a young couple away from dishes he thought they wouldn’t like, the standard approach to new customers here, but he knew us well enough to present us with authentic menus. While we selected items marked with bunches of chillies like flames, he brought a vast bowl of soup and ladled helpings out, leaving Bella’s bowl emptily agape. Once we’d ordered my mother said “So what sort of mischief have you been up to, Roy?”

“Leave the chap a few secrets, old girl,” my father protested.

“You know what I mean, Jonathan. Not that kind of mischief.”

“Ah, that business. We hear you went where Patrick’s aunt Thelma met her end.”

Roy’s grimace at me pinched most of his face. “Have you told mum as well?”

“Roy, I’ve told nobody. My mother told me. The lady at the cottage found her name from Thelma’s, and please don’t start calling her anything again.”

He took a china spoonful of soup, visibly blocking a rejoinder, which gave my mother the chance to ask “What were you doing there?”

To relieve his obvious discomfort I said “Roy’s friend is as interested in Thelma as he is.”

“I’m surprised anyone of his age is. That’s how old the girl is, I suppose. You don’t think she could be saying it to get closer to you, Roy.”

“She wouldn’t do that. We’re the same age, just about.”

“I meant being interested in my sister.” As though he’d accused her of incompetence, my mother shook her head at length. “Don’t expect to understand her when I never really did,” she said. “She liked keeping secrets even when she was your age.”

“I think Bell understands her more than I do.”

“We’re even more anxious to meet the young lady, then.”

“Did you say she’d be gracing us?” my father said. “You could call her to make sure.”

Roy took his time over a laden spoonful before taking out his phone. Bella’s onscreen number brought her icon with it, so miniature an image that I could scarcely distinguish her face. My mother leaned over to look and then peered closer. “Well, that’s…”

“What, gran?”

She squeezed her lips thin as if to lock in a remark and sat back. “Just my brain wanting me to know how old I’m getting.”

Before anyone could follow this up, Bella said “Where are you?”

“Just started eating. Come here so you can meet dad’s parents.”

“I could be a while yet. Meet me here instead, where we met the first time.”