George bought a copy of the paper and sat in the car to read it. The story was on the front page. The journalism was as sensational as any of the London tabloids, but what facts the piece contained were largely accurate. Ursula Ottway was portrayed as a sweet old woman who loved birds and animals. She had discovered the ‘mutilated corpses’ of her pets on the hill and had threatened to make the affair public. The next day she had been found dead ‘and we understand from police sources that her death is being treated as suspicious’. The reader was left to draw his own conclusion, but the headline left him in no doubt as to the Chronicle’s opinion that Marcus Grenville was at least in part responsible.

George felt a sympathy for Grenville. To deny the allegations implied in the Chronicle would only lead to more publicity. All his efforts to distance himself from Ursula’s death had been in vain. George wondered how the newspaper had got hold of the story. Benwell had said that the police had been instructed to be discreet. Perhaps there had been a particularly persistent reporter? Or had there been another anonymous phone call to the newspaper that was obviously not particularly favourable to Marcus Grenville? If so, who was the informant? Some political rival? That seemed unlikely. It would be two years at least before the next election, and the facts in the article were too close to the truth to be discovered by an outsider. Perhaps Eve Theobald was lying and had passed on information to the Animal Rights Group after all. Or perhaps there was someone more closely connected to Grenville who hated him and wanted to ruin his reputation.

When he returned to Back Rigg Molly was making soup and the kitchen was steaming. There was a smell of lentils and vegetables.

‘How did you get on with Eve Theobald?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘She’s a clever young woman. If she had anything to hide it would be hard to tell. Perhaps you should have spoken to her. You might have got more out of her.’

Molly looked at him suspiciously. Was this some gesture to appease her?

‘Had Ursula been to Monk’s Wood recently?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ Molly said. ‘She went because she was worried about Joanna. Alex wouldn’t tell me what it was about, but she admitted that she did confide in Ursula. It all seems to have started about fifteen years ago.’

‘You always said Joanna was neurotic,’ he said. ‘Perhaps it was something trivial that she’s blown out of proportion.’

‘Perhaps,’ Molly said. ‘But Alex seemed to take it seriously too.’

‘Could it be anything to do with Marcus Grenville?’ he said. He put the newspaper on the table and told her to read it. ‘Could Joanna have informed in some attempt to pay him back?’