Neither of them liked the look of computers with their endless wires, nor of filing cabinets. After Celia died, when it was established that they would be staying on at the farm, Adam had created an office from the old lean-to by the kitchen, where the deep freeze had been in Cass’s childhood. All the admin stuff was confined here, so that the house would retain its period feel.

‘What did he win it for, anyhow?’ asked Adam as they made their way downstairs with the shoebox.

‘Do you know, I don’t think I’ve ever been told. It was in the Crimea, that’s all I know really. I had to do a school essay once, at primary school, about a woman from history that I admired. Well, I didn’t really know of any: we’d done Queen Elizabeth the First and I’d heard of Cleopatra, but that was about it. So I cribbed the whole thing out of the Ladybird book about Florence Nightingale. The writer was called L. Du Garde Peach. That’s literally the only thing I can remember. I thought it was a variant of the name Hildegarde, but actually I think the writer was a man. Anyway.’

‘Someone must know, though,’ said Adam. ‘About the medal.’

‘I suppose,’ said Cass. But she sounded doubtful.

Skye was already in the office, using the photocopier.

‘What are you two up to?’ she asked.

‘Dad’s just found out that one of the old medals we’ve got is very valuable,’ said Cass.

‘We’re just trying to work out which one it is,’ said Adam.

‘What? How come?’ asked Skye.

‘Well, it’s a VC,’ said Cass.

‘From the Crimea,’ said Adam.

‘I did the Crimea in Year 5,’ said Skye.

‘Did you?’ said Cass. ‘I don’t remember that.’

‘Yes. We did Mary Seacole. Mrs Seacole.’

‘Who’s that?’ asked Cass.

‘She was a nurse. Jamaica, she’d come from, originally. Pretty amazing woman, actually. She had a restaurant and a shop and she looked after the soldiers. Bandaged them up and gave them tea and stuff.’

‘We were just talking about Florence Nightingale. I suppose your one worked for her?’

Skye rolled her eyes. ‘No, Mum! That’s the whole point. Mrs Seacole had learned all about herbal medicine and stuff, from when she was in Jamaica. She was more like a traditional medicine practitioner. Closer to a doctor, actually, than a nursey type of nurse. And, like, a businesswoman. She was this really cool woman of colour. Ahead of her time.’

‘Oh. Well, that’s good.’

Adam was getting pictures of medals up on to the computer screen.

Skye took her photocopies and wandered off.

They drew a blank. None of the medals in the box was the Victoria Cross. Adam got up a couple of images of VCs, one from the front, the other from the back. At least now they’d know what they were looking for.