Me: Excuse me, Nell, were you singing show tunes in an American accent?
Nell: I beg your pardon?
Me: When I came into the living room just now I heard someone singing ‘I Cain’t Say No’.
Nell: Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I be doing that?
Me: There’s only you in here.
Nell: So?
Me: So it must have been you singing songs from Oklahoma.
Nell: What an outrageous idea.
Me: And, more to the point, why are you a girl ‘who cain’t say no’?
Nell: I’m not.
Me: I didn’t think you were but now I’m wondering. Has Lionel King been here?
Nell: He popped in with some daffodils for me earlier.
Me: Was he wearing his cowboy hat?
Nell: Yes.
Me: Do you know if he talked to Robin on his way in?
Nell: I have no idea.
Me: I bet he did. I bet he flashed his cowboy hat at Robin.
Nell: What are you talking about?
Me: I have a worrying theory.
Nell: Here we go.
Me: This morning Robin sang ‘Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’’ to me.
Nell: He probably learnt it from David. He sings it all the time.
Me: And then I walked into the living room and found you belting out ‘I Cain’t Say No’.
Nell: I wasn’t belting anything out. I was just singing.
Me: In an American accent. And you knew all the words. Admit it.
Nell: I didn’t know I knew them until I started singing.
Me: Did Lionel King go anywhere else?
Nell: I think Manuel made him some pancakes before he left. Why?
Me: Can I hear someone singing?
Nell: It’s ‘The Surrey with the Fringe on Top’. Manuel’s been singing it all morning.
Me: In an American accent?
Nell: Yes.
Me: This is very worrying. Sorry.
