After dinner, as they were leaving, Hazel had asked if they could convene for a brief talk, the following morning, before she and Dawn drove north. They agreed to meet at ten o’clock.

‘Do you want me to sit in, for support?’ asked Dawn, after breakfast.

‘That’d be great. Thank you. I know what I’m going to do, but it just feels right to include them, let them know about it.’

Cass was feeling slightly anxious. ‘You don’t think she’s going to try and sue us, or something? About Stephen, I mean?’

‘Don’t be daft,’ said Georgie. ‘What could she sue us for? I expect she just wants to know what happened, you know, how it was that he had to leave the farm. We only talked about the nice stuff yesterday. I didn’t even mention the accident, did you?’

‘No. I hardly said anything. I don’t even know if she’s aware of the accident.’

‘Well, there you go,’ said Georgie.

‘It may be nothing to do with Stephen,’ said Cass, doubtfully. ‘She might just want to tell us more about her genealogical research.’

‘It’ll be fine,’ said Georgie.

Adam put together a tray with coffee and they took it into the sitting room.

‘What I wanted to talk to you about is the Victoria Cross,’ Hazel began. ‘I’ve got a plan about what would be best to do with it and I wanted you to know first, as we’re all descended from William Gale.’

Cass gawped. She felt her mouth fall open, like someone overacting in a sitcom. What was Hazel talking about? They’d searched the whole house from top to bottom and still no one had been able to find the medal. All they could do was hope there was some hiding place they’d overlooked and that it would turn up eventually. And now this woman thought she’d just walk in and arrange its future, when there could be no plan, because no one could lay their hands on the wretched medal. Things could be about to get very awkward. She raised her eyebrows at Adam.

‘I’ve been thinking for the past couple of years about what I might do with it. They’re actually pretty valuable now. I think this one would fetch a lot, because it’s an early one. William Gale won it early on in the campaign, I mean. At Alma.’ She doubted that Cass and Georgie were familiar with the battles of the Crimea, so she was trying to keep it simple.

‘Yes, we’re well aware of all that,’ said Adam, testily.

‘Wait, hang on,’ said Cass. ‘When you say you’ve been thinking what to do with it, what do you mean?’