Marcia, in the kitchen, heard what was being said, such were the acoustic properties of the flat. She paused in her labours, standing quite still. In the glass of the oven door she could make out the reflections of the two men sitting in the living room, across the corridor. She watched, as the prisoners in Plato’s cave fixed their eyes on the moving shadows of the real world outside.

  “Yes,” said William. “An engagement ring.”

  There was brief silence. Then Basil Wickramsinghe said, “You’re a lucky man, William. You really are.”

  William said, “Yes, I think I am.”

  Marcia leaned forwards and closed her eyes, such was her joy. Then she composed herself and continued to work on the meal as if nothing had happened, though she knew in her heart that everything had.

  About the Author

  Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, the 44 Scotland Street series, and the Corduroy Mansions series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and has served on many national and international organizations concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and taught law at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland.

  Visit: www.AlexanderMcCallSmith.com

  Friend: www.facebook.com/home.php#!/alexandermccallsmith

  Follow: http://twitter.com/#!/@mccallsmith

  Also available as an ebook by Alexander McCall Smith:

  In the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series:

  The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency • 978-1-4000-7765-6

  Tears of the Giraffe • 978-1-4000-7767-0

  Morality for Beautiful Girls • 978-1-4000-7766-3

  The Kalahari Typing School for Men • 978-1-4000-7941-4

  The Full Cupboard of Life • 978-0-375-42324-6

  In the Company of Cheerful Ladies • 978-0-375-42357-4

  Blue Shoes and Happiness • 978-0-375-42426-7

  The Good Husband of Zebra Drive • 978-0-375-42479-3

  The Miracle at Speedy Motors • 978-0-307-37719-7

  Tea Time for the Traditionally Built • 978-0-307-37810-1

  The Double Comfort Safari Club • 978-0-307-37900-9

  The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party • 978-0-307-37963-4

  The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection • 978-0-307-90715-8

  In the Isabel Dalhousie Series:

  The Sunday Philosophy Club • 978-0-375-42343-7

  Friends, Lovers, Chocolate • 978-0-375-42392-5

  The Right Attitude to Rain • 978-0-375-42462-5

  The Careful Use of Compliments • 978-0-375-42527-1

  The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday • 978-0-307-37776-0

  The Lost Art of Gratitude • 978-0-307-37857-6

  The Charming Quirks of Others • 978-0-307-37945-0

  The Forgotten Affairs of Youth • 978-0-307-90679-3

  In the Corduroy Mansions Series:

  Corduroy Mansions • 978-0-307-37930-6

  The Dog Who Came in From the Cold • 978-0-307-37984-9

  A Conspiracy of Friends • 978-0-307-90724-0

  In the Portuguese Irregular Verb Series:

  Portuguese Irregular Verbs • 978-0-307-42729-8

  The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs • 978-0-307-42858-5

  At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances • 978-0-307-42488-4

  In the 44 Scotland Street Series:

  44 Scotland Street • 978-0-307-27679-7

  Espresso Tales • 978-0-307-38639-7

  Love Over Scotland • 978-0-307-38759-2

  The World According to Bertie • 978-0-307-45522-2

  The Unbearable Lightness of Scones • 978-0-307-47674-6

  The Importance of Being Seven • 978-0-307-90724-0

  The Girl Who Married a Lion • 978-0-375-42344-4

  La’s Orchestra Saves the World • 978-0-307-37866-8

  For Young Readers

  The Great Cake Mystery • 978-0-307-74390-9

  For more information on Pantheon Books:

  Visit: http://www.pantheonbooks.com

  Follow: http://twitter.com/pantheonbooks

  Friend: http://facebook.com/pantheonbooks

  BOOKS BY ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH

  In the Corduroy Mansions Series

  Corduroy Mansions

  The Dog Who Came In from the Cold

  A Conspiracy of Friends

  In the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Series

  The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

  Tears of the Giraffe

  Morality for Beautiful Girls

  The Kalahari Typing School for Men

  The Full Cupboard of Life

  In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

  Blue Shoes and Happiness

  The Good Husband of Zebra Drive

  The Miracle at Speedy Motors

  Tea Time for the Traditionally Built

  The Double Comfort Safari Club

  The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

  The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

  In the Isabel Dalhousie Series

  The Sunday Philosophy Club

  Friends, Lovers, Chocolate

  The Right Attitude to Rain

  The Careful Use of Compliments

  The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday

  The Lost Art of Gratitude

  The Charming Quirks of Others

  The Forgotten Affairs of Youth

  In the Portuguese Irregular Verbs Series

  Portuguese Irregular Verbs

  The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs

  At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances

  In the 44 Scotland Street Series

  44 Scotland Street

  Espresso Tales

  Love over Scotland

  The World According to Bertie

  The Unbearable Lightness of Scones

  The Girl Who Married a Lion and Other Tales from Africa

  La’s Orchestra Saves the World

 


 

  Alexander McCall Smith, A Conspiracy of Friends: A Corduroy Mansions Novel

  (Series: # )

 

 


 

 
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