John put his hands on the table. ‘That’s all fine and well but it doesn’t explain why Isobel was going through Ann’s things.’ He paused. ‘Has anyone else noticed anything odd?’

‘She has been more meticulous with the cleaning recently,’ said Ursula carefully. ‘Going into every corner, clearing out drawers, spring cleaning wardrobes and cupboards even though it isn’t spring any more. It’s as though she is searching for something. But I’m very uncomfortable talking about her like this when she isn’t here.’

As though she had been summoned, Isobel walked up the front path, and they watched as she crossed in front of the bay window on her way to the side gate and the back garden.

It was John who fetched her from the kitchen and brought her through to the drawing room.

Chapter 27

July 1911

‘Please sit down,’ said John.

‘I would prefer to stand, sir.’ Isobel could not imagine what was happening.

John cleared his throat. ‘I understand that you have been examining the contents of Ann’s jewellery box.’

Ann wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. Anything to not be in the room.

To everyone’s astonishment, Isobel looked each of them in the face, one after another.

‘That’s true.’

‘This is a very serious matter. Would you care to provide an explanation?’

‘I was looking for my property.’

John’s eyebrows couldn’t have risen any higher if he had forced them to. ‘Your property?’

Isobel reached into the neck of her dress and pulled out a length of black cotton cord. A coin was attached to it with a knot. ‘This is mine. It’s an 1889 penny from the year I was born. My late father drilled a hole in it and put it on a string for me. It’s worthless, or at least it’s only worth a penny to anyone but me. My father died when I was five and it’s the only thing from him that I own.’

No one spoke.

‘When I took up my position here, I kept it in my room. I didn’t want to wear it in case the string broke and it got lost, so I kept it on a little earthenware dish on my shelf. And then one day, the dish and the coin were gone. The string was left behind and I could see it had been snipped with scissors. It wasn’t an accident. And a few days later I found some pieces of broken pottery in the garden, up near the plum tree, where Miss Ann used to play at tea parties with her friends.’ She looked at Ann. ‘You were younger then. We hadn’t been here long.’

‘You thought Ann had taken it?’ Ursula took over.

‘I am sorry, but yes, I did.’

‘Why didn’t you say anything?’