Squash the whole family into this place

She assured him that she loved to do this; it brought her peace to see the lkae in its changing seasons. She knew all kinds of things about its nesting creatures. She felt at home there; she knew all the people around.

Once she had told him that it would be lovely to have a little cottage like Sister Madeleine's and have the lkae water lap up to your door. He had laughed at that. "Isn't it hard enough to squash the whole family into this place? How would we fit in the hermit's cottage?" he had asked.

"I didn't mean the whole family. I was thinking of going there by myself." Her eyes had been far away that day. He hadn't followed her train of thought; it had been too unsettling.

Martin let himself in his own front door beside the chemist's shop. It led straight upstairs to what they called their house, even though Kit had complained that they were the only people she knew who had a house without a downstairs.

Rita was setting the table. "The mistress won't be here, Sir. She said to say she'll see you after your game of golf."

He was disappointed and it showed. "Women have to have their time off, too." Kit said defensively.

"Of course they do." he said, over-jovially. "And it's a Wednesday, so everyone except Rita has an afternoon off. I'm going to play a round of golf with Clio's father. I'm feeling in powerful form. I'm going to beat him into the ground today. I can see a few pars coming up, and a birdie and an eagle and... maybe an albatross."

"Why arethey all called after birds?" Emmet wanted to know.

"I suppose because the ball soars like a bird, or it should anyway... Come on, I'll be mother." he said, and began to ladle out the lamb stew.

He realised that he had been saying this more and more recently.

He wondered why on earth Helen had not said she was going out. Where on earth could she be?