She hovered on the landing at ground level where the steps led down to the kitchen. Monsieur Gotti, Mrs Moriarty and Bainbridge were calling out instructions over the jingle of crockery, the chink of glasses and footsteps running across the tiles. Briefly breaking cover, she peered down the stairs. A row of maids stood in a line along the basement corridor, like a row of starlings gathered on a telephone wire. They held trays of food, which Mrs Moriarty scrutinised. After a few adjustments, she nodded. ‘Hurry along now, ladies. We don’t want to keep the guests waiting.’

The maids headed for the stairs. Lou pressed into a recess, and they hurried past so close that she felt the rush of air around them. She waited for the last maid to disappear before breaking cover again. She ran down the stairs into the empty basement corridor, past Mrs Moriarty’s room, the kitchen, the dairy, the stores, and cupboards, and didn’t stop until she reached the end where she flung open the door to the outside. She was already halfway up the steps when Bainbridge called out, ‘Who’s there?’

Snow lay ankle-deep in the yard, and Lou slipped inside the stables to the familiar dark warmth, the scent of hay and the sound of horses snuffling. A chair scraped along the floor in the storeroom. Elliot appeared in the doorway.

33

They sat opposite each other, two mugs of mulled cider and three envelopes on the table. With an old coat of Elliot’s draped round her shoulders, Lou cupped her hands around the hot mug. Between sips of the sweet apple brew, she told Elliot just enough of what had passed between her and George Caxton for his grip to tighten on the handle of his mug. When she finished, he took up the envelope containing his statement and tucked it into the inside pocket of his jacket. There was no need for further explanation; Elliot knew what was needed from him. If the situation ever arose, he would see to it that the envelope and its contents made their way into the right hands.

He glanced at the letters addressed to Lady Mandeville and Charlotte. ‘You’ll be wanting me to leave them on the post tray in the hall in the morning.’

‘Thank you.’

Elliot pushed his chair back and took a coat from the hook behind the door. ‘I’ve to help prepare the cars for people leaving. Will I see you out?’

Lou hesitated. ‘Would you mind if I waited here for a while longer?’‘Stay for as long as it pleases you to. Clarence’ll keep you company.’ At the sound of his name, Elliot’s Labrador looked up from the rug in front of the fire and wagged his tail. ‘There’s cake in the tin if you’re hungry and tobacco in the jar on the mantelshelf, if that’s more to your taste. I’ll say goodnight.’ Elliot pulled his cap down.

‘Elliot.’

He stopped in the doorway.

‘I just wanted to say thank you. For helping me.’