Hilda Annersley regarded the collection of vowels, and one or two token consonants, with pronounced scepticism. "Are you quite sure you want to put that, Nell?"

Accustomed to her friend's habitually tactful manner, Miss Wilson ignored the careful phrasing and responded directly to the implied criticism. "Are you accusing me of making up words? That," she added, eyebrows raised, "Hilda, in case you didn't realise, is tantamount to accusing me of cheating."

"Nell! Of course I know you wouldn't cheat. All I'm saying is that I don't recognise the word, so I wondered if you were quite sure..."

Miss Wilson grasped a well-thumbed dictionary and slung it across the desk at her friend, nearly obliterating the scrabble board in the process.

"Check it if you want to. I assure you, you'll find it in there. It's a scientific term."

FIN