I supposed she meant to help Bella feel welcome, and so I tried as well. “How long have you been vegan, Bella?”

“As long as I can remember.” As she served salad with a giant’s wooden fork and spoon she said “I think the earth gives more than people know.”

“That’s funny,” I said.

“No need to scoff at her beliefs, Patrick.”

I was reminded how misunderstanding each other’s words had helped to end our marriage. “I’m not,” I protested. “It’s just the man my aunt was seeing said something of the kind. He was vegan as well.”

“More and more people are,” Julia said and turned to Bella. “So you’ve fallen under her spell too.”

“You think she had one.”

“I’m saying you’re as taken with her as Roy is.”

“We wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

“I think someone’s under someone’s spell,” I said, only to feel I’d embarrassed everybody. “I mean we’re glad you met that way.”

As Roy planted a platter spread with meats between the two of us, Julia said “If that’s how it had to happen.”

Bella gave this a large but neutral look. “Don’t you care for Thelma’s work?”

“I find it a bit sly. I’m not the only person who did. Sorry, Patrick.”

“Honestly, don’t avoid talking about my parents. It won’t stop me thinking of them.”

“They weren’t fond of Thelma either, then,” Bella said. “They weren’t ready for her secrets.”

“I think if you have to keep secrets you must know they’re better kept hidden.”

“Unless they’re meant to be seen by anyone who can.”

“I like people who make themselves clear.” As though to avert further argument Julia said “I don’t care for the occult, if that’s what she was playing with.”

“You’ve got books like that in your library, mum.”

“We don’t censor anything that’s not against the law.” With not much of a pause Julia said “Books like what?”

“Witchcraft books. You’ve even got someone’s diary of his magic.”

“How do you know about that?”

When he hesitated Bella said “We went to look.”

“While I was away, you mean.” Julia made this sound like another example of slyness. “Were you involved too, Patrick?”

“No, I was here waiting for my parents to show up, the day they never did.”

“Forgive me.” In not much of the same tone she said “Why were you reading it, Roy?”

“Bell thought dad’s aunt might have mentioned it in her journal.”

Julia laid her weighty gaze on me. “You’ve been reading that as well.”

“I found it here at dad’s, and I showed Bell.”

I doubted Julia would have let me off except for my bereavement. “And did you get anything out of the book in the archive?” she said.