"I haven't been to South America," he said.
"Same here," said I cheerfully, "but I remember seeing pictures of them in the geography book at school."
Mackenzie looked at me more coldly than before. I don't think he liked me, and when the younger man chuckled Mackenzie glared at him. Smart had a sense of humour.
"I'm afraid we have been boring you," he said to me with a smile.
"I'd rather listen to you two talking education," I confessed.
Mackenzie waved the suggestion away.
"I leave education behind when I walk out of the school," he said in grand manner. "Most excellent rhubarb, Mrs. Macdonald. Home grown?" And then we had ten minutes of garden products versus shop greens. I admit that this inspector had a genius for small talk. We dismissed greens and I led the conversation to hens and ducks. Mackenzie did not know much about them, and he confirmed my opinion of his genius for small talk by saying: "Buff Orpingtons! They are named after Orpington in Kent. I remember staying a night there before I went to Switzerland . . ." and the dirty dog took the conversation back to his mountain climbing.
I made a gesture to the younger man and got him out into the garden.
"Why does he waste precious time talking about cabbages and dreary
Swiss inns?" I asked.
Smart laughed shortly.