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‘I had an interior designer take care of everything and it works for me I’m seldom there’

‘So who took care of furnishing the house?’ Susie asked curiously

Sergio flushed ‘Someone else’

‘And yousupervised the whole thing?’

‘I had some input, yes’

Startled, she said, ‘I can’t picture you going to a fabric shop and choosing what colour you wanted the curtains to beor having a browse in a sofa shop for the right sofa It used to take a lot of effort just getting you down to the local supermarket’

‘But you have to adio drawled, ‘that once I was there I was excellent when it ca as needed’

‘You were terrible You never got anything that was actually necessary You were always intrigued by weird ingredients and bright packaging Like a kid’

Had they reached that level of domesticity? How had that happened? When? Hoas it that he hadn’t noticed?

She hastily changed the subject ‘I shall have to have a look around at the local shops See what’s there and how I can get to them on public transport’

‘Which bringsto hunt down a bus in winter It doesn’t work’

‘You mean I won’t be accessible by public transport?’ Susie asked, dismayed

‘I et you a car—and before you launch into a long speech about not needing one, you do, and the subject is non-negotiable This is about doing what’s right for the wo round, the walk in winter to get there or to get to the nearest bus stop, and then the jostling, the crowdsunacceptable You just need to decide what kind of car you want’

‘A top-of-the-range Laritted teeth

Sergio burst out laughing ‘Colour?’