Her trademark characters, kindly but confused souls making their way in a land of "people sugaring off and drinking tea and casting for trout and nodding amicably," won Shields a largely Canadian following.

- he asked quietly, nodding amicably.

She nodded amicably to Poirot.

Gloria nodded amicably at Sissy, but made no move to help her.

Hogan, swathed in a cloak because of the day's damp chill, nodded amicably to his Lordship's three aides, then handed the General a sealed letter.

Nesbitt nodded amicably, tasted his tea, and sifted some sugar into it.

The tapman nodded amicably as we walked by: a diminutive fellow with a profuse busby of a beard as compensation for his shortfalls in height and weight.

She nodded amicably at an elf covered in woad and badly tanned skins.

He waved the men down, grinned at the sight of the snoring Price, nodded amicably to Harper, and came and stood beside Sharpe.

The man in the red leather driving seat nodded amicably.