The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe Read Online Free PDF Page B

there was something going on,” she said. “After Mr. Sengupta and his sister had left, she kept looking at her watch. When she went out to fetch some fat cakes for her lunch, she was keen that I should stay and take a message if there was a phone call. She said she was waiting to hear from her lawyer.”
    Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni raised an eyebrow. “Her lawyer? Is she in trouble?”
    â€œNo, it was nothing like that. And there was no phone call while she was out. It came an hour or so later.”
    â€œAnd?”
    Mma Ramotswe had been looking forward to breaking the news. “You won’t believe it, Rra.”
    Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni took another sip of his beer. “She’s going into parliament?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œShe’s being sent into space?”
    Mma Ramotswe laughed, and for a few moments imagined Mma Makutsi in a space suit, her large glasses perched on the outside of her helmet. “No, she is not going into space, although I am sure she would be good at doing what people who go into space do. Is there filing to be done up there? If there is, then she would do it very well.”
    â€œThe papers would float about,” said Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. “It is not easy to file when there is no gravity. Even Mma Makutsi would find it hard, I think.”
    â€œI have every faith in her,” she said, adding, “now that she is a full partner.”
    Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He had voiced reservations about the over-promotion of Mma Makutsi, but had not pressed his views on Mma Ramotswe—the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was her business, not his. “Sometimes,” he had said, choosing his words carefully, “sometimes you have to be cautious about promoting people. Once you promote them you can’t really demote them.” He paused. “It is easier to go up a hill than to come down again.”
    Mma Ramotswe had looked puzzled. “Are you sure of that, Rra? Isn’t it easier to come down a hill, because it’s downhill? Surely going uphill is more effort.”
    Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni gave this some thought. “What I meant to say is that once you cook meat, you can’t uncook it. That is what I really meant to say, Mma.”
    â€œAnd that is true, I think,” said Mma Ramotswe.
    â€œWell,” said Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. “There you are, then.”
    It had not been the most satisfactory of discussions, but even taking his warning into account she had still felt that it was the right thing to do to offer Mma Makutsi a partnership. She remembered their discussion now, though, as she told him about Mma Makutsi’s phone call.
    â€œAnyway, Rra, this call of hers came through at last, and it was her lawyer, as she had said it would be. He is a lawyer with a very loud voice …”
    â€œThat is the best sort of lawyer,” said Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. “A lawyer who speaks so softly that nobody can hear him is no use.”
    â€œWell, his voice was loud enough for me to hear what he said to her. It came over clearly, even though he was talking at the other end of a telephone line.”
    Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni looked at her expectantly. “And, Mma?”
    â€œAnd he said: ‘You’ve got it, Mma.’ And she shouted, ‘I’ve got it? Are you sure I’ve got it?’ And he said, ‘One hundred per cent sure—’ ”
    â€œNot ninety-seven per cent?” interrupted Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni.
    â€œNo, one hundred per cent sure. And all the time I couldn’t help listening—I don’t like to listen to other people’s conversations, but when one of them is in the room with you and the other has a very loud voice …” She looked at Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni for support, and he said, “Of course, Mma. You could not help overhearing—you need not feel guilty about that.”
    Mma Ramotswe continued with her story.