It was not difficult to arrange to meet Barbara Lennox. She remembered him, of course, and agreed to see him again to hear news of her good friends, the Visvanathans. Keith was away on a business trip to Thailand. She invited Dick to tea in Barnes on Saturday afternoon.

London was enjoying fine summer weather, so Dick decided to take the underground to Hammersmith, then walk across the bridge to Barnes. He passed pubs smelling of warm beer, full of afternoon customers. There was a feeling of relaxation in the air, with young couples strolling hand-in-hand, men with their shirts off mowing their lawns, red-legged women slumped in deckchairs in their front gardens, children playing half-naked in the park. It was Britain at its most casual, happy to forget, in this temporary sunshine, the miseries of unemployment and recession.

The Lennox's had a large Victorian house overlooking the pond in Barnes. Barnes was the territory of the successful - business executives, bankers, computer whizz-kids, retired diplomats - all those who had made it, and kept it!

Barbara answered the door herself and led Dick into a large, sun-filled room which looked out directly onto the large garden behind the house. It was a comfortable room with large armchairs and tables covered with family photographs and souvenirs. Dick noticed a picture of John Verghese standing with Keith and Barbara at a school prize-giving. There were also pictures of the Lennox's daughter Jane, an attractive red-head.

Barbara had prepared a tray with tea and small home-made cakes. Dick recalled that she had always been proud of her home and her cooking skills. She poured the tea.

'So, how is everyone over there?' she asked, with a slight Scottish accent.

Dick spoke in general terms about the Visvanathans, about Ramu, about Nagarajan... He was careful not to betray his feelings about any of them.

'Oh yes, Nagarajan. Such a nice man. I believe he took early retirement. Such a pity about his wife. I heard that his daughter had lost her husband too. So sad.'

Dick had a sharp feeling of loss as she said this. It was strange to hear Lakshmi referred to in the third person, like a stranger.

As the conversation went on, Dick gently tried to discover just how much Barbara knew about John Verghese, and about Keith's relationship with him. He decided that, unless she was a superb actress, she knew nothing. She talked about how they had taken care of him during school holidays.