Chapter 2

           Whenthetwomenhadgoneshelookedthroughthephotographsagainbeforeputtingthemback.

           "Notbadforawomanofforty-six,"shesmiled."Theyarelikeme,there’snodenyingthat."Shelookedroundtheroomforamirror,buttherewasn’tone."Thesedamneddecorators.PoorMichael,nowonderheneverusesthisroom.OfcourseIneverhavephotographedwell."

           Shehadanimpulsetolookatsomeofheroldphotographs.Michaelwasatidy,business-likeman,andherphotographswerekeptinlargecardboardcases,datedandchronologicallyarranged.Hiswereinothercardboardcasesinthesamecupboard.

           "Whensomeonecomesalongandwantstowritethestoryofourcareershe’llfindallthematerialreadytohishand,"hesaid.

           Withthesamelaudable*objecthehadhadalltheirpresscuttingsfromtheverybeginningpastedinaseriesoflargebooks.

           TherewerephotographsofJuliawhenshewasachild,andphotographsofherasayounggirl,photographsofherinherfirstparts,photographsofherasayoungmarriedwoman,withMichael,andthenwithRoger,herson,asababy.Therewasonephotographofthethreeofthem,Michaelverymanlyandincrediblyhandsome,herselfalltendernesslookingdownatRogerwithmaternalfeeling,andRogeralittleboywithacurlyhead,whichhadbeenanenormoussuccess.Alltheillustratedpapershadgivenitafullpageandtheyhaduseditontheprogrammes.Reducedtopicture-postcardsizeithadsoldintheprovincesforyears.