‘I know who you are,’ said Helena. ‘Your name is on the lease of my studio.’

‘So it is,’ he said and set off again. ‘Come on. Let’s get that kitten out of bother.’

It didn’t take them long to cross the courtyard to what would one day be a very lovely house. It had a rather ‘cobbled together’ look about it: a small original house had had bits added on to it over the centuries at a time when no one worried too much if a Georgian section would look odd next to a bit built in far earlier times. But the years had blurred the edges and it was now charming. It belonged to Jago Pengelly, Helena’s landlord, but although he had owned it for over six months, he had only just started working on it. His presence indicated her notice was up; he was about to turn her out of her studio, which was where she not only did her weaving but also lived. She really wanted to hate him but her sense of fair play made it difficult: six months’ notice was more than generous and if she had concentrated more she would probably have found alternative accommodation for her and her loom by now.

‘We need to go round the back,’ Jago said.

Disappointed that she wasn’t going to get a look inside Jago’s house, Helena followed him to where he was standing in front of a huge pile of soil and rock. He was looking anxious.

‘There was slippage. I wouldn’t have started with the digger if I’d known Zuleika and the kitten were anywhere near while I was working. I thought Zulie was shut in but she must have slipped out after me and the kitten followed.’

‘Where is the kitten?’ asked Helena.

‘Behind there.’ They were at the back of the house now and he indicated a huge pile of soil and stone.

‘Oh my God. Can’t you just climb up and get her?’

‘Not without dislodging more rubble, which could bury her, poor little thing.’

‘So how can I help? The same thing could happen if I climbed up.’

‘There’s a window in the house that opens on to the bit behind the slippage. Come inside, I’ll show you.’

The inside of the house was pretty much a building site, but Helena hardly had time to be disappointed and she hurried behind Jago to the back of the house.

‘There.’ He pointed to a window. ‘If you look through there and down you’ll see the kitten.’

And there it was, absolutely tiny, its little mouth opening pinkly in what was obviously a persistent cry. It was on a much lower level than where they were standing.