I shivered. “I"ll put the heating on,” Cliesh said.
Cliesh stamped her foot. Something was wrong with the heating. “The pump is down,” I said.
“Damn!”
Back in the kitchen, she switched on a small electric fire. The cold and damp won. Staying in this freezing house would make her ill. A neighbour had left a basket of food. Cliesh made coffee. We sipped the coffee and nibbled biscuits. She let the phone ring. I looked at her.
“Tim, would you mind answering that? Please.”
It was my cousin. I told Steve about meeting Cliesh at the airport; that she looked ill. “My cousin Steve O"Hara. Sergeant McNab mentioned your name, and Steve looked up your number.”
“Thank you for the lift. Perhaps I"ll run into you.”
“My cousin"s invited you to dinner and to stay the night. So pack a small bag and
