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stant mushroom omelette； not at all bad。'
'Disgusting。' Charles said。
'You get a different perspective； living alone。'
'You need a new wife；' Charles said。 'What about that girl who used to share a flat with Jenny in Oxford？'
'Louise Mclnnes？'
'Yes。 I thought you and she were having an affair。'
No one had affairs any more。 Charles's words were half a century out of date。 But though the terms might now be different； the meaning was eternal。
'A summer picnic；' I said。 'The frosts of winter killed it off。'
'Why？'
'What she felt for me was more curiosity than love。'
He understood that pletely。 Jenny had talked about me so long and intimately to her friend Louise； mostly to my detriment； that I recognised…in retrospect…that the friend had chiefly been fascinated in checking out the information personally。 It had been a lighthearted passage from mating to parting。 Nice while it lasted； but no roots。
When the car came for me I thanked Charles for his sanctuary。
'Any time；' he said； nodding。
We parted as usual without physically touching。 Eye contact said it all。
Getting the driver to thread his way back and forth through the maze of shopping dead…ends in the town of Kingston in Surrey； I acquired six dressing…up party wigs from a carnival store and an angel fish in a plastic tub from a pet shop； and； thus armed； arrived eventually at the children's cancer ward that held Rachel Ferns。
Linda greeted my arrival with glittering tears； but her daughter still lived。 Indeed； in one of those unpredictable quirks that made leukaemia such a roller…coaster of hope and despair； Rachel was marginally better。 She was awake； semi…sitting up in bed and pleased at my arrival。
'Did you bring the angel fish？' she demanded by way of greeting。
I held up the plastic bucket； which swung from my plastic wrist。 Linda took it and removed the watertight lid； showing her daughter the shining black…and…silver fish that swam vigorously inside。
Rachel relaxed。 'I'm going to call him Sid；' she said。
She'd been a lively； blonde； pretty child once； according to her photographs： now she seemed all huge eyes in a bald head。 Lassitude and anaemia had made her frighteningly frail。
When her mother had first called me in to investigate an attack on Rachel's pony； the illness had been in remission； the dragon temporarily sleeping。 Rachel had bee someone special to me and I'd given her a fish tank plete with lights； aeration； water plants； Gothic castle arches； sand and brilliant tropical swimming inhabitants。 Linda had wept。 Rachel had spent hours getting to know her new friends' habits； the ones that skulked in corners； the one who bossed all the rest。 Half of the fish were called Sid。
The fish tank stood in the Ferns' sitting…room at home and it seemed uncertain now whether Rachel would see the new Sid among his mates。
It was there； in the fortable middle…sized room furnished with unaggressively expensive modern sofas； with glass…topped end tables and stained…glass Tiffany lamps； that I had first met my clients； Linda and Rachel Ferns。
There were no books in the room； only a few magazines； dress fashions and horses。 Shiny striped curtains in crimson and cream； geometrically patterned carpet in merging fawn and grey； flower prints on pale pink walls。 Overall the impression was a degree of lack of coordination which probably indicated impulsive inhabitants without strongly formed characters。 The Ferns weren't 'old' money； I concluded； but there appeared to be plenty of it。
Linda Ferns； on the telephone； had begged me to e。 Five or six ponies in the district had been attacked by vandals； and one of the ponies belonged to her daughter； Rachel。 The police hadn't found out who the vandals were and now months had gone by； and her daughter was still very distressed and would I please； please； e and see if I could help。
'I've heard you're my only hope。 I'll pay you； of course。 I'll pay you anything if you help Rachel。 She has these terrible nightmares。 Please。'
I mentioned my fee。
'Anything；' she said。
She hadn't told me； before I arrived in the far…flung village beyond Canterbury； that Rachel was ill unto death。
When I met the huge…eyed bald…headed slender child she shook hands with me gravely。
'Are you really Sid Halley？' she asked。
I nodded。
'Mum said you would e。 Daddy said you didn't work for kids。'
'I do sometimes。'
'My hair is growing；' she said； and I could see the thin fine blonde fuzz just showing over the pale scalp。
'I'm glad。'
She nodded。 'Quite often I wear a wig； but they itch。 Do you mind if I don't？'
'Not in the least。'
'I have leukaemia；' she said calmly。
'I see。'
She studied my face； a child old beyond her age； as I'd found all sick young people to be。
'You will find out who killed Silverboy； won't you？'
'I'll try；' I said。 'How did he die？'
'No； no；' Linda interrupted。 'Don't ask her。 I'll tell you。 It upsets her。 Just say you'll sort them out； those pigs。 And Rachel； you take Pegotty out into the garden and push him round so that he can see the flowers。'
Pegotty； it transpired； was a contented…looking baby strapped into a buggy。 Rachel without demur pushed him out into the garden and could presently be seen through the window giving him a close…up acquaintance with an azalea。
Linda Ferns watched and wept the first of many tears。
'She needs a bone marrow transplant；' she said； trying to suppress sobs。 'You'd think it would be simple； but no one so far can find a match to her； not even in the international register set up by the Anthony Nolan Trust。'
I said inadequately； 'I'm sorry。'
'Her father and I are divorced；' Linda said。 'We divorced five years ago； and he's married again。' She spoke without bitterness。 These things happen。'
'Yes；' I said。
I was at the Ferns' house early in a June of languorous days and sweet…smelling roses； a time for the lotus； not horrors。
'A bunch of vandals；' Linda said with a fury that set her whole body trembling； 'they maimed a lot of ponies in Kent 。。。 in this area particularly 。。。 so that poor loving kids went out into their paddocks and found their much loved ponies mutilated。 What sick sick mind would blind a poor inoffensive pony that had never done anyone any harm？ Three ponies round here were blinded and others had had knives stuck up their back passages。' She blinked on her tears。 'Rachel was terribly upset。 All the children for miles were crying inconsolably。 And the police couldn't find who'd done any of it。'
'Was Silverboy blinded？' I asked。
'No 。。。 no 。。。 It was worse 。。。 For Rachel； it was worse。 She round him； you see 。。。 out in the paddock 。。。' Linda openly sobbed。 'Rachel wanted to sleep in a makeshift stable 。。。 a lean…to shed； really。 She wanted to sleep there at nights with Silverboy tied up there beside her； and I wouldn't let her。 She's been ill for nearly three years。 It's such a dreadful disease； and feel so helpless 。。。' She wiped her eyes； plucking a tissue from a half…empty box。 'She keeps saying it wasn't my fault； but I know she thinks Silverboy would be alive if I'd let her sleep out there。'