Unless there was another way out. A way that was not a window or a door. She paced the room and found it – a hatch at the bottom of the wall panel. Small but not too small. She squeezed her body through it and found herself in a tunnel with damp soil around her. The air was dank and all lay in darkness, but she crawled along the earth, crawled slowly and crawled more. It took a long time, dragging herself through the damp soil, inching forward, waiting for a glimpse of light. Trusting that it would be there, the darkness could not go on for ever. A chink, and the sun was there ahead, at last, there it was ahead. Salma increased her speed, no longer feeling the effort now she was nearly there. When she finally emerged and stood up, she found herself staring straight at her car.

Moni and Iman were waiting for her. They had packed up all their things, including hers, and left the cottage.

‘It’s Monday,’ explained Iman, handing Salma the car key.

Salma kicked the car wheel in frustration. ‘We were meant to go visit Lady Evelyn’s grave yesterday. Sunday is the only day. Now I can’t drive the car into the estate!’

‘We can still go,’ said Moni. ‘I don’t mind walking. I can walk now. We’ll leave the car at the forest and cross the railway line by foot.’

‘It will be twelve miles, Moni. Can you do this?’ Iman’s voice was gentle.

‘I’ll try my best.’

‘We can’t not go,’ said Salma. ‘It’s why we came in the first place. We have to.’

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen