Chapter 9
THE VISITORSP
OLLY stood in the studio in the garden, a bright neat figure surrounded by all her formidable junk. She was smiling at Charlie Luke engagingly.
“What do you want?” she demanded unexpectedly. “I’ve shown you all Freddy’s old rubbish and I’ve told you there’s nothing else like it in the house, and yet here you are growing more and more depressed while I watch you. What’s the matter?”
Luke’s dark face with its strong nose and narrow dancing eyes split into a smile.
“I’m ungrateful,” he agreed. “That’s right. It’s a staggering show. Your husband must have been ...” he hesitated.
“Very fond of it,” she said firmly. “You don’t want to shut it, do you? It’s not doing any harm.”
“None in the world.” He looked round once more, a spark of laughter in his eyes. “It’s ol
