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Aye, of course I have, she said indignantly, as if the very question was an insult

Where would you go? he asked

I don't know, she said, kissing him back Anywhere, she said Away from here

School's the sa to stick it out, I'hers Sometimes I think it's my only chance I do spend an awful lot of ti forward to seeing you again soon I suppose really it's my turn to come see you, but I doubtafter you, he says he wants to knohen he's going to get a chance tolike that, but now I'm not so sure - what do you think?

Eleanor's house was sloohty and probably difficult to heat, but well built, with granite blocks froh to last a couple of centuries or more There were two bedrooms upstairs, divided by a steep and narrow stairway, a small front room, a kitchen at the back of the house, a scullery and an outside toilet Her parents didn't own the house, but her grandfather had lived there as well, and his father before that, so the farey stone

Froht down the street to the harbour, to the tall crooked cranes of the shipyards, the freighters unloading at the docks, the seagulls clouding and cla around the fishmarket on the end of the central pier From just outside the house it was possible to hear what people were saying in the front rooh, in the kitchen If there were more than a few people in the kitchen, as there were the first time David went there with Eleanor, it was possible to stand at the front door and hear the their voices toon the table to get themselves some attention

It was dark by the ti an introduction on his third visit to Aberdeen The light frolass over the front door and Eleanor hesitated before going in, listening I don't believe it, she whispered, it sounds like they're all here I'm sorry, she said Her father, Stewart, ca David's hand and inviting him in to meet the rest of the fa, he said, and fro her head as he came into the kitchen and was introduced to her mother, Ivy, her brothers, Donald, Willia children, and a great-uncle Ja in the corner by the stove There were bottles of beer out on the table, and the remains of a meal stacked up by the sink, and he was peppered with hellos and how-are-yous before he'dquestions about how far he'd co in these parts and what it was he did for a living back holing to be understood in return - Eh? What's that son? Say again? - one of the hi what it was he ain

It was a s wooden table they were sitting around, the orn to a shine by the years of scouring and cleaning, the cruh chairs for all of the the back wall, in front of theand the kitchen sink, blocking the door to the scullery and the backyard, looking hi remarks to each other

Coventry? asked one of the to explain to Stewart about being fro left there as a small child Is it Coventry where they make all the cars? David nodded

You make cars then? he was asked

No, he told them, no, I work in a museum

There was an aard pause, and then another brother said ist like our Eleanor reckons she's going to be? David shook his head, s involved with more recent history than the formation of the earth's surface There was another aard pause and then the saht, so what do you reckon then, is it true what Ellie says about there being oil under the sea? Great-uncle Jah that sounded h, and even Stewart smiled and shook his head David didn't knohat to say

It's not justit Mr Read showed

Aye, said Donald, the oldest of the brothers there, and there's a herd of ca by outside just now Eleanor tutted, and pretended to sed David towards the door

Well, we've got to get to the pictures, she said We're