Me: Do you know why Harriet’s keeping a lookout in the garden?
Nell: If I knew I wouldn’t say.
Me: She’s hiding by the bush so I’m guessing she’s gone undercover.
Nell: I really wouldn’t know.
Me: No sunglasses, though, or beret.
Nell: Harriet works for MI5 not the French Resistance.
Me: She keeps looking up at the sky so I’m thinking it’s to do with birds not cats.
Nell: Good grief.
Me: Somebody told me that Stephen Seagull is considering renting an apartment at The Cat’s Place.
Nell: It is not The Cat’s Place. It is a stately home where The Cat resides.
Me: Anyway, if he does rent an apartment it would throw the cat among the pigeons.
Nell: Nonsense. The Cat never has anything to do with pigeons, as you well know, and nobody is throwing it anywhere.
Me: It’s just a saying. It will cause problems.
Nell: Talking of pigeons, Walter and his wife have settled in to village life really well.
Me: Good.
Nell: And so have Henry and Horst. There’s a thriving insect community here so they are busy recruiting.
Me: Recruiting for what?
Nell: I couldn’t say.
Me: You said that before.
Nell: Did I?
Me: You know something I don’t.
Nell: Nothing new there.
Me: I don’t know why you won’t tell me.
Nell: Ignorance is bliss.
Me: No, it isn’t. I can keep a secret.
Nell: We both know that isn’t true. Who told you about Stephen Seagull?
Me: Malcolm said Susan heard it on the seagull grapevine.
Nell: Did he ask you to keep it under your hat?
Me: I’m not wearing one.
Nell: You know what I mean.
Me: I’ve only told you.
Nell: Except you haven’t.
Me: They won’t say anything.
Nell: I rest my case.
Me: Sorry.
