Should Dennis tire of painting, he could find a position as a bodyguard; standing six-four with a linebacker’s build were his main qualifications. His visage, pale white skin and strawberry blonde hair, was not especially imposing. But he was one of the few men who stood taller than Asha which was one of many reasons she allowed him to marry her. That was Dennis’s interpretation of events. All these years later, Dennis was still in awe of his good fortune.

“Yeah, we can ...