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There were two more phone calls before Tiht he was allowed to stay up later than usual The first was froional news reporter By the time the third call came, Clare was fed up with people ouldn't take no for an answer

'Yes, who is this, please?' she de instrument

'Mrs Malcolht the impulse to slam the receiver back down

'Who is this?'

'David Deverenko Virginia suggested I call' Virginia? First-name terms already? It had taken Clare fourbefore she had been invited to use 'Virginia'

'Mrs Malcolm?'

'Yes, I' at her reflection in the shiny kettle on the bench Her face looked quite pale and, coth blonde hair and creahostly She blinked There was no rooined

'It's about your son, Tiinia mention that I wanted to talk to you about his future?'

'His present, don't you mean?'

There was a slightly startled silence 'If youatfro, but I thought that perhaps we could have some initial discussion—'

'I' drifted slightly in her fascination with that rich, dark, inia seems to have misled you—'

'You already have Tim accepted somewhere else?' The mellow voice sharpened critically

'No, I—'

'I thought not There is no other equivalent facility to the Deverenko School—not in this country, anyway Are you considering taking him overseas?'

'No, I—'