She rolls the cursor down to the dock at the bottom of the screen. ‘Where now? Browser history will just be the research, I need to look at her email for the bookings.’

In less than ten minutes, she has printed off all the information she needs.

She gathers the sheets of paper and closes down the screen. It hasn’t been so bad after all.

*

Tess lifts the phone handset in the hall. There is no dial tone. She looks at it in confusion before remembering that Georgia had unplugged it from the socket a few weeks ago in protest at the number of sales calls she was subjected to. The curly cable twists this way and that, and Tess vows to make it coil properly just as soon as she has spoken to Georgia. She bends down and plugs it back in, and then, her heart in her mouth, she dials the number for the hotel.

‘Bonjour, je m’appelle Tess Dutton, et je voudrais parler avec Madame Georgia Williams qui est votre invitée à l’hôtel ce soir.’

‘Good evening,’ comes the reply. ‘You would like to speak with Madame Williams.’

‘Yes please, and forgive my poor French, monsieur, it is many years since I learned it at school.’

‘It is not a problem. But unfortunately, madame left this morning.’

Tess consults Georgia’s itinerary. ‘Are you sure? I have her staying with you for three nights.’

‘Indeed,’ replies the voice, ‘but she decided to change her plans and to leave a day early. I believe she was going to a new destination before visiting Paris.’

‘She told you about her visit?’

‘Naturellement. It is an important time for her, I think.’

‘Do you happen to know the name of the new hotel?’

‘I do, but I cannot say, madame.’

‘Oh?’

‘It is a matter of privacy. I can leave a message with the manager there if you wish. They may ask her to telephone you?’

‘Thank you so much, monsieur. I appreciate your assistance more than you can imagine.’

She ends the call, and exhales. Baxter appears beside her, wagging his tail enthusiastically. ‘Good idea,’ she says to him. ‘After all that, I think we both need a walk in the fresh air.’

Chapter 75

September 2011

For two days, the phone in the hall is silent apart from calls about double glazing and boiler replacement. Tess becomes highly accomplished at simply walking away and leaving the caller talking to themselves.

It’s on the evening of the second day that Georgia rings. There is no preamble. ‘You have been in my office.’

‘I am sorry about that but you—’

‘This had better be good. I don’t like people going through my things.’

‘I’m sorry—’

‘You have looked in my files too. We will talk about this when I come home.’

‘Yes.’

‘And what is it that is so important that you have invaded my privacy?’

‘There has been a letter from Stan.’