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Harry said he was late to look at a boiler breakdown on the other side of the town and cut her off before she could go into anywho you are It’s hard You wake up in the night for– names, places, the way to your old house, the way to your new one

Only then you reh

You have to laugh

Nineteen

‘WHERE WERE YOU?’ Cat said as she walked round the kitchen putting shopping away The thaw had set in and the supermarket horoup the previous evening, but Judith had not, which was surprising as she had been one of the first and , and the book they had discussed was her choice

‘Things cropped up, you kno it is’

Cat took the hint and did not pursue the subject But things did not just ‘crop up’ to keep Judith froasso SeaI’ve got a spare copy somewhere if you need it’

‘I’m pretty sure there’s one here, thanks I have read it, but years ago’

Cat bent to put cheese into the fridge, the phone to her ear

‘By the ent to the Italian for supper last week, the night before it thawed Pretty hairy journey into town h It’s a comfort place, that restaurant’

‘I needed a bit of comfort Simon was there’

‘Well, it’s his local On his own?’

‘No, with Rachel’

‘Aha’

‘Good thing?’

Cat sighed, heaving cat food tins up onto the shelf ‘For him, yes’

‘But’

‘Do you know, I just can’t worry about Simon and women any more I’ve had so many years of it, I’ve picked up so many pieces – not his usually – I’ve decided to stay out of it He’s a grown-up for heaven’s sake No, hang ona bit far’

‘I have a theory Serrailler e to hold down quite grown-up jobs, but they themselves are fatally underdeveloped’

‘Wonder ifbackwards He had quite a lot of sense when he was nine’

‘When does Hannah hear about this film part?’

‘Final choice on Thursday It’s down to two of them and to say nerves are frayed would be the year’s understateet it?’

‘I know she wants it We’ll see But listen, Judith –’

‘Darling, Itheon the stove, Cat was certain Judith had not wanted their conversation to veer back in her own direction, nor had she been prepared to answer questions ‘So’s up’ – that had been Chris’s catchphrase, and he usually had good antennae for what, but even Chris wouldn’t have been able to get over the barrier Judith seeh the door, ar and sports kit, expression alert and anxious

‘Have you heard anything?’

‘No, and on’t until Thursday – you know that Do you want cheese on toast or eggy bread?’

‘Mars fell in a heap on the kitchen floor

‘Han’

‘OK, OK, sorry, but I’hed ‘It’s no good saying try and forget it because you can’t but at least try and practise diversion tactics Such as what’s for ho else?’

‘Read the first three chapters of Jewish Feasts and Festivals and be ready to discuss’

‘Interesting’

‘Yes, did you know’ She hitched herself onto the worktop counter stool, ate a slice of toast and Maran to explain how Passover was celebrated Usually, Cat would have pro Hannah was indeed liable to ‘go ping’ Cat looked at her daughter, a Serrailler in features but not in colouring, whereas Sam was as blond as Simon and Felix was the carbon copy of his father, chunky, dark-haired, square-faced

Hannah was on the cusp of adolescence, grown tall, slender and long-necked It was possible to see what she would look like as an adult Interesting, Cat thought, trying to be dispassionate, she will be interesting and intelligent, but with every eht visible on her face, every joy and sorrow chasing one another like clouds across a bare hill Her desperation to get the film part was obvious and painful Don’t let her be disappointed, Cat thought, as she had thought so often in the last couple of weeks Please let her have this or she will be beyond devastated Was she praying then? Not exactly She always had the sense that prayers ought to be about serious matters, not trivialities, so she would pray with and for patients in I for herself Was asking this for Hannah trivial?

Not to Hannah

She sent up a quick prayer, a proper one this ti Sam home pulled up outside

Twenty

‘LOOKS HALF FINISHED,’ Muriel said, opening a couple of cupboard doors and shutting the the join in the worktop ‘See, the underside of this, it’s ragged, never been stuck down properly’

‘Seeht to me’

‘That doesn’t surprise me, you’ve never paid attention to detail’

‘What’s that supposed to ot?’

‘It’s a very nice sherry’

‘No, I s Far too salty and I have to watchthe same as me’

‘Yes, well, so far as I’o into the sitting roolasses, sherry bottle and bowl of Twiglets

‘That dresser looks too big in here’