The thought of a soulless Fontaburn village pub put Toby and me back in my car with the cheerier thought of a drink on the bench outside Lucy’s. As I mastered the narrow turning out of the village, saving my wing mirrors from the slightest scratch, Toby launched into the rather boring topic of the sixteenth-century Wellingham family within the context of British nobility.

I decided if I entertained him for a bit I’d get the best out of him when I introduced the juicier topic, as far as I’m concerned, of how the current generation’s actions may have led to Hailey’s death. So, when the opportunity arose I swung the conversation as far forward from the sixteenth century as I could and asked, ‘Why are you so down on the de Bynninges?’

‘Because, after four generations, William de Bynninge has cashed in and broken a history of business with the Wellinghams since 1842.’

‘But he doesn’t have a son so maybe he wanted the money to be split between his daughters?’

‘Everyone knows Wellingham Porcelain is a successful business and therefore the de Bynninge daughters would have got plenty of income from their shares without having to sell and let down the family’s legacy.’

I liked that Toby had a firm opinion on the matter and it wasn’t that I was trying to provoke him when I asked, ‘Why do you mind so much that Mr de Bynninge is cashing in?’ I just didn’t fully understand what he was getting at.

His voice took on a nostalgic tone, ‘I suppose I have some sort of instinctive affection for the way things used to be in business, and, oddly, it does bother me that this Mr de Bynninge just broke off what was obviously a long-standing partnership.’ Toby’s body tensed and now I could hear the aggression in his voice, ‘There used to be a real sense of responsibility in the way a proper family company worked. So different from faceless multinationals, where everything looks the same and everything’s done on the basis of pure profit and the lowest common denominator. A family company is supposed to be different – they can care for their workers and suppliers better than the others. They have duties and there’s a respect for history. Who knows, but it seems to me that de Bynninge is just throwing all that away. He’s taking the money and running …’

I loved the fact Toby had such a social conscience, but I just couldn’t stop myself butting in ‘Listen,’ I said, grabbing his arm and trying to get back to the here and now, ‘I think Miss de Bynninge is Primrose Gerald.’

‘Do you now?’ Toby’s voice was inflected with a touch of contempt.

‘Yes, I do, because when I was at Fontaburn, Hailey implied she was going to Wujiang and Primrose firmly corrected her pronunciation. I also think Primrose was jealous that Archie invited Hailey on a trip.’

‘But, according to the curator, Daniel also went on these trips.’

‘But Daniel’s a man so Primrose wouldn’t mind that.’

‘True, but, if Daniel fancies Archie, which I presume he does if he got into his bed, then he’d be just as jealous of Hailey.’

‘Hey Toby, maybe inviting Hailey on a trip to Wujiang was the beginning of something bigger?’

‘Nah, you would have picked up on it if it was that bad.’

‘But, I think I did. Remember Archie told me at dinner that the topic of porcelain had caused a rift between some of them?’

Toby didn’t say anything and as I was driving I couldn’t look at him long enough to know if he was thinking about the effects of jealousy or not.

‘I reckon Daniel could have killed Hailey with the poisonous bean we looked up.’

‘But,’ Toby wasn’t buying it, ‘a high oxalate concentration in Hailey’s system is the only concrete evidence you have so far, and although it can come from eating plants, I’m absolutely sure you’d know by now if it was a plant that killed her.’

‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’

‘I am right,’ said Toby in that dogmatic way only a man can.

His insistence didn’t ruffle me. In fact it made me very happy as it meant he was as invested in this mystery as I was and this inevitably brought us closer together.

‘I tell you something,’ he said lightening the atmosphere, ‘Archie better get on and have a son, he’s forty-one and not exactly hot stuff.’

‘He’s a nice guy though and probably wary of gold diggers.’

‘Or, I reckon Daniel was on to something jumping into his bed, those red trousers in the photographs surely don’t do it for the ladies.’

‘Na, red trousers or not I don’t think Archie’s gay. Anyway, he’s got plenty of time to have an heir, it’s not like there’s a clock ticking.’

‘Do you want children, Susie?’

Crumbs, this was the most personal thing Toby had ever asked me. I was stuck for words. I wanted to say what he wanted to hear but in truth I’m not completely sure whether I do want children or not.

I took it for granted growing up that I’d get married and be a mother one day but now I’m in my thirties and still single, it crosses my mind that I might run out of time to have children and I’m never very sure how this makes me feel.

Out of step with my friends I guess, but then again, I channel a lot of energy into my work and I’d have to compromise this if I were to be a wife and a mother. There’s also the possibility of not being able to conceive. If this were the case I’d tackle it with my belief that whatever challenges life throws at you, you must rise and overcome them. Having children is not the be all and end all for me. If I’m meant to have them I will but if not there will be something else in the mix I’m sure.

So, in short, I answered Toby, ‘If I have children yes, I’d want them, but if I don’t it wouldn’t be the end of the world.’

‘Very diplomatic of you.’

‘I find life’s much easier to comprehend if I believe it’s outside of my control. I think if you start trying to order it, wishing for sunshine, putting words in peoples’ mouths, planning to the n^th degree, you end up disappointed if it doesn’t pan out how you envisaged.’ I’d got the bit between my teeth but I just had to finish, ‘We’re all so spoilt for choice now and when we don’t get what we want we immediately blame it on something other than the rich pattern of existence.’

‘That’s all very well but sometimes life can be a real bugger. Look at Hailey. If she hadn’t been staying with Archie for the weekend she might still be alive, that comes down to a simple yes or no to an invitation.’

‘As sad and tragic as her death is I like to think it was outside of her control and that she died young for a reason unbeknown to us.’

‘Jesus Susie, that’s a tough line to take.’

‘I don’t mean it as harshly as it comes across, I just think for our own rationale it helps to believe there’s a heavenly afterlife beyond all of this and some people deserve to get there quicker.’

‘I doubt my mind will ever expand to that depth of comprehension but it’s a nice way of looking at it.’ Toby gave me a gentle admiring smile and switched on the car radio. Upon hearing the poem being recited on air, Toby’s childish grin knocked twenty years off him. Afterwards, he explained that it was ‘Sir Smasham Uppe by E.V. Rieu.’

‘That’s fantastic.’ I loved it. ‘What a great poem.’

‘Isn’t it? I learnt it as a boy, it was my first introduction to porcelain,’ said Toby, relaxing back into the seat as we drove through Canny’s gates.