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"You could say that," I said, s wryly "You'd better come inside and we can discuss it all"

"Thanks," he said, and he followed us inside

Five o as he sipped his coffee He seeitation below his apparent serenity He orried, but seemed reluctant to initiate the conversation Oliver decided to help him out

"So, you're Mark and Rebecca's father Bit of a surprise,you under these circumstances Particularly since those two are under the impression that you are - how shall we put it - dead"

"I know A necessary evil I don't age, and their mother and I decided it would be best for all of us if I siestions row up free from suspicion and speculation"

"So Rebecca's mother knew?"

"It was Rose's idea"

I leaned back in my chair and searched for any hint of dissimulation in his mind There was none He spoke the truth It made sense on the face of it And it helped to explain Rebecca'smuch of her childhood I wondered if Rebecca would see the fabrication of her father's death as a necessity, or as further evidence of her mother's betrayal I was not by any means an expert on faht have been better for that particular family if this had not becoood intentions hter And possibly her relationship with Mark too

"I believe Jack is dead," said Hugo in that deliberate way that he had

"He is indeed," Oliver grinned unpleasantly

"How?"

"My mother decapitated hi, but who exactly is your mother?"

"Her name is Julia Jack's sister"

"I had heard of Julia Elizabeth too My mother spoke of them frequently, my father less so I am pleased that they survived him I am even more pleased that one of his sisters was able to deprive us of the dubious privilege of his existence I can only hope that his death was a painful one"

"I believe it was," said Oliver, frowning now "Excuse norance, but you just seeo paused then, and eyed us all contemplatively Then, as if he'd decided soain

"He was indeed And Anne is still er" He leaned back, awaiting a response from us