A Question of Identity by Anthea Fraser

And
I’m
sorry, not to have warned you in advance. It just never occurred to me, but with hindsight it should have done.’
    Lindsey phoned that evening.
    â€˜I’ve been catching up with last week’s
Gazette.
There’s a review of the show at the Darcy, so I thought I’d ring and see how you enjoyed it.’
    â€˜What was the critic’s verdict?’
    â€˜Oh, he was quite impressed. Were you?’
    â€˜Yes, all the acts were good. Max made a fool of himself by challenging the telepath, and had to sit down with a red face!’
    Lindsey laughed. ‘Serves him right! Was his telepathy as good as ours?’
    â€˜Well, apart from Max and a couple of other links with the audience, it was mostly guessing playing cards.’ Rona braced herself. ‘And talking of guessing, who do you think we saw at the Bacchus beforehand?’
    â€˜Haven’t a clue.’
    â€˜Hugh and his new lady friend.’
    There was a long pause. Then: ‘Did you speak to them?’
    â€˜Literally en passant. He was a bit embarrassed, I think.’
    â€˜No reason why he should be.’ Lindsey’s voice was brittle. ‘What’s she like?’
    â€˜Sleek, sophisticated, in her forties. All I got was a cool nod.’
    â€˜Name?’
    â€˜Mia Campbell. Have you heard of her? He introduced her as a work colleague.’
    â€˜Means nothing to me, but I’ve not been near HW&B for years. The entire staff has probably changed.’ A pause. ‘She’s attractive, then?’
    â€˜Reasonably. She has vibrant red hair, which makes Hugh’s ginger look faded.’
    When Lindsey made no comment, she added, ‘And my other news is that I had lunch with Mum today.’
    â€˜Really? How come?’
    Rona said wryly, ‘She wanted some things from the deli.’
    â€˜Par for the course! How is she?’
    â€˜Fine. By the way, did you know she’s selling the house when she and Guy get married?’
    â€˜
Our
house?’
    â€˜Yep. It came as quite a shock, actually.’
    â€˜But . . .
why
? There’s loads of room for both of them.’
    â€˜She said they wanted somewhere new, with no ghosts from the past. And we can choose what we want, after Pops and Catherine have had their say.’
    â€˜Too bad I didn’t know that earlier!’ commented Lindsey, who’d recently spent a large amount on new furniture and fittings.
    â€˜It’s silly, but it quite upset me. I like to think of it
being
there, more or less as it’s always been, and Mum ensconced in it.’
    â€˜Where will they live, did she say?’
    â€˜I don’t think they’ve started looking yet.’
    â€˜It’s odd to think the divorce will come through after Christmas. Then there’ll be a spate of family weddings!’
    â€˜Well, two, anyway – unless you’re thinking of making it three?’
    â€˜Not a hope!’
    â€˜Did you see Dominic over the weekend?’
    â€˜No; Nicole and David invited me for a meal on Saturday, and suggested I stay overnight, so I could enjoy a drink. There was another couple there I’d not met before, and we had a jolly good evening. I didn’t get home till yesterday afternoon.’
    Rona’s eyes fell on the school photograph, propped up against the toaster, but she was determined not to mention it till Lindsey did.
    â€˜Sorry,’ Lindsey said quickly, ‘there’s someone at the door – I’ll have to go. See you.’
    â€˜See you,’ echoed Rona, and thoughtfully replaced the phone.

FOUR
    F or the next three days, Rona worked steadily on her book. It had taken her a considerable time to sort out the mass of letters and diaries that Gwen Saunders, Elspeth’s personal assistant, had delivered after Elspeth’s death, and even longer to brace herself to read them. She had never before written a biography of someone she’d met personally, and