Noah: Hi there! The quince we talked about the other day... Are you still interested?
Sophie: Hello Noah, but of course I am.Thank you.
Noah: Actually William went to collect the rest of them for you immediately. They're in a basket on our terrace, so you call collect them any time.
Sophie: That's very very kind of him! He's really a darling.
Sophie: We won't be going your direction any time soon I'm afraid. How long will they keep? Is it windfall?
Noah: Both really but they all look very healthy. No bruises afa one can see. Or only odd small ones. They' be alright for a couple of days I guess. The weather's cool.
Sophie: It would be a shame if they rotted. I'll talk to Frank and maybe to the twins too and go back to you asap.
Noah: OK.
Sophie: Hey Noah, the twins will be on their way from Notts tomorrow afternoon and passing Windfield. Is it alright if they pop in and collect the quince?
Noah: Absolutely! In fact anyone can come any time and just take them from our terrace. Of course it would be great to see your twins again. Haven't seen them for ages!
Sophie: Well we don't see that much of them either :( They'll be coming home this weekend only because of Alexa's ceremony.
Noah: Notts is 3 hours' drive away so small wonder they don't fancy it so much.
Sophie: I don't blame them! We're both happy they've been doing fine at college. Everything's absolutely fine. You don't have William at home all that often either, do you?
Noah: He gets 5 days at Xmas by way of "family care" and 2 weeks off spread over the whole year but never longer that 5 days. They have a strict regime at the academy. But after all these years we've learned to cope with it. What worries me is that he seems to have no time to even think about getting married and start a family of his own.
Sophie: The fate of most military I guess. Hugely unfair I'd say. Like being married to your regiment!
Noah: That's what it sounds like when he talks about himself! I never hear a girl's name! And when I ask, he gets brusque.
Sophie: Oh dear! What could it mean?
Noah: No, not what you think! We know from Capt. Broomsberg about their common escapades. Plenty of women but only that sort of women. No strings.
Sophie: I never even imagined he might be gay! Surely not. But there must be sth else.
Noah: We think he's just so obsessively career-minded. Nothing else counts for him.
Sophie: He's always been very strong-willed. And he knows what he wants. Well if I were you I wouldn't worry at all.
Noah: You're probably right. But you know I'd love it so much to have plenty of grandchildren around me.
Sophie: They'll come, don't you worry! Look the twins will contact you about the quince. Alright?
Noah: Sure. Thank you Sophie for a nice chat!
Sophie: Thank you for the quince!
Sophie accepts some quince from Noah. Noah has left the quince in a basket on his terrace and the twins can pick it up any time. The twins are in college. Noah's son is in the military. He is still single but reportedly not gay.