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from cooker shelf to cork mat and paused a moment, hands in oven gloves on her hips. ‘Do you know, Janey, I’ve no idea. Aidan will be pretty involved with the university, of course.’
    â€˜Damn Aidan’s plans; what about your own? You must get yourself a life, Leila. It’s more than time.’
    â€˜Well, I have the shop. I’m really grateful to Uncle Charles for setting me up with that.’
    Janey grimaced. ‘It wasn’t what I’d hoped he would pick on, but you know Charles: two years ago the lease was up for grabs and property hereabouts gets more valuable every year. He felt it was too good to pass up. But running a shop doesn’t exactly stretch you, does it?’
    Leila smiled. ‘It’s a bit like that fully-stocked doll’s-house he gave me when I was ten.’
    â€˜And you should have been five. It wouldn’t have happened if I’d been around then, my dear.’
    Leila laughed. ‘You certainly know how to work on him.’

    â€˜I don’t manipulate, Leila. I simply tell him what I’d prefer. Like that dress account he opened for me. I really didn’t need it, so once I’d explained he cancelled it and gave me carte blanche at the bookshop instead. Much more sensible. I’m sorry I can’t take you for a new swish outfit again, but do let me have a list of what you fancy reading.’
    By now Janey had slid off the table, seized some tongs and was arranging roast potatoes for her in a ceramic dish. ‘These are crisped perfectly, Leila. Oh, I do enjoy eating what someone else has cooked.’
    Leila reached out and hugged her. This plain-faced little woman dressed as a middle-aged flowerchild was one of the most comfortable people she knew.
    At lunch Janey left the men to do the talking, only piping up during the dessert with a question to Leila about picking up her studies again. It had the effect of halting the others’ conversation.
    â€˜I should hardly think she’d want to do that,’ Aidan decided.
    â€˜She needn’t do it at your college. Why not the Open University?’
    â€˜Yes,’ Charles agreed wickedly. ‘If she keeps it dark you won’t lose face, old man. How about it, Leila? I was sorry you never went on to get your degree. Whatever happened to your early thirst for history?’
    The truth was it had got crowded out. Her special fascination was with pre-colonial Africa, and she’d hoped to spend a few years out there in research. Aidan and marriage had put paid to that.
    â€˜Maybe it wasn’t all that pressing,’ she offered. ‘I hadn’t actually fixed my options for if I graduated.’
    â€˜Not if: when,’ her uncle said staunchly.
    â€˜A piece of paper!’ Aidan cried scornfully. ‘One advantage of passing through the entire academic process is learning that degrees and diplomas aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. But of course you must acquire them to dare point out the fact.’

    As Janey mumbled into her plate Leila thought she caught ‘ …pissing from a great height.’
    When they had consigned the china and cutlery to the dishwasher the two women rejoined the men who had decided on a local stroll. ‘We’ll see what your new neighbourhood’s like,’ said Charles benignly.
    â€˜Beech woods and farmland in that direction,’ Aidan offered at the foot of the drive, squire-like and waving a fancy walking-stick. ‘The village is over to your right. Though village or town, we haven’t quite decided yet. Anyway there are shops and dwellings, pubs and churches, bus and train stations. That sort of thing. Leila tells me there’s even a Tuesday market.’
    By common consent they turned left where the road began to twist and narrow, descending between over-arching beech trees.
    â€˜Deer? You really get wild deer?’ Janey cried in delight, pointing to the roadside