‘Not how or why, but what.’ There was a long silence at the other end of the phone, and then Gus said carefully, ‘Was this the notion you had Christmas afternoon? The hunch?’ ‘You’ve got it,’ she said, with a sudden lift of exhilaration. It was good to be able to tell him how she felt, and not to hide anything. ‘I just wanted to check first.’ ‘You didn’t have to,’ he said. ‘Believe me, you could have trusted me not to — well, let it be. Just make me a promise.’ ‘Depends what it is.’ She laughed as she said it. ‘Don’t play the coquette with me, ducks. It’s not your style or mine. Just promise me that in future you’ll stop playing secrets. We’re a team, ain’t we? Just tell me what’s going on, no matter what.’ She hesitated. ‘I promise, I’ll try. Will that do?’ He was silent again and she was alarmed. Had she upset him? Hurt his feelings? It was important to her suddenly that she should never do that. Yet at the same time, she had to hold on to herself, to her freedom to do what she had to do.
