‘Thanks.’ Kate slopped the pasta round her bowl without interest. ‘Andrew—’ ‘Yes?’ ‘I thought I’d take you for a drink before supper on Saturday, maybe somewhere in town for a change? Malmaison? If it’s nice we can sit outside. Harry and Jane can join us, then we can all come back here to eat.’ ‘I’m going to be in Elgin.’ ‘In Elgin? On your birthday?’ Elgin was in the north of Scotland, a hundred and forty miles from Forgie. ‘I’ve made an arrangement to see the abbot at Pluscarden Abbey.’ ‘You’ve had the call? Surely the visit could wait a few days.’ ‘It’s all arranged,’ Andrew said with finality. Ninian stared at his father, then at his mother, then mumbled, ‘Oh fuck,’ but as neither of his parents told him off, he blew out his cheeks, then carried on shovelling spaghetti into his mouth. Growth requires nourishment. ‘But we always have a birthday dinner.’ Birthdays were important to Kate.
