Lies and statistcs

We walked across the tea-parlour lawn towards her car but didn’t get there. A bench by the duck pond seduced us.

Once sat down, I reminded her of Charley’s salvo with which he sunk the tour guide and saved my embarrassment - dative case, thrice denial and all that.

'How could he do that? Even if he’d been practising put-downs, it was an amazing achievement for a kid with Charley’s educational background.'

'He does a lot for Sidonie, doesn’t he?'

'You’ve lost me.'

'I think he is totally smitten with you,' she explained, 'and knows the only way to keep you is to close the educational gap. I think your friend Sidonie is match-making by giving him tips in return for him helping her so much with the children. I bet you she is in on this one.'

I felt myself go as red as a beetroot. Vera noticed.

'Why does my suggestion embarrass you?'

'I’m shocked that anyone would go to that much trouble to get me - half the parish has dawke