‘It’s nearly time for tea.’
‘No, I meant generally. Are you going to stay here, or…?’
She got to her feet, smiling broadly.
‘Something really quite extraordinary has happened! Do you remember my nephew Stuart, the one I told you that you reminded me of when we first met? Well, just this morning I received a letter from him, completely out of the blue. It turns out that this affair has been on the news in Canada, and he’s written asking if I’d like to go and stay with him and his wife for a while.’
Her smile faded.
‘It might not work out, of course. We may not get on, or I may hate the place. But I must say I’m rather tempted.’
She glanced pertly at Jarvis.
‘How’s that for a happy ending?’
Jarvis grimaced.
‘As you said earlier, Miss Travis, it seems a bit contrived.’
‘If this were a story, perhaps. But as you said earlier, Inspector, this is real life, and life is perfectly shameless. It permits itself everything-even happiness.’
She looked down at the flowerbed and shivered.
‘If s growing cold. Shall we go in?’
