‘Schumann didn’t know him, but Onkel Jo did, very well,’ Adila pointed out. ‘And Jo loved you, you know. He tells me, on his deathbed he tells me, “Make sure little Jelly’s doing her bowing properly, as I showed her… ”’

‘It’s incredible!’ Erik was ecstatic. ‘Jelly, you are chosen by the angels. How can you refuse their summons?’

‘I do wonder what the music would be like,’ she admitted. ‘If there is some… ’

‘Jelly, these messages do not come from nowhere. There will be a concerto, and you will play it. You will bring an unknown Schumann work to the world, at the composer’s own request. We will all help you. Try and stop us!’

‘Supposing it isn’t real?’ Jelly felt outnumbered, shouted down by people stronger – or at least louder – than she was. Nobody was present to back her up; Alec, inscrutable behind his moustache while his wife and her friend assailed Jelly, took no sides. ‘Supposing these spirits are not who they say they are, and they’re misleading us, giving us information that’s false?’ she said. ‘And then we ask everywhere and it’s not true. Imagine how silly we’ll look.’

‘Not nearly as silly as we will if someone else finds it first,’ Erik pointed out. ‘Supposing we had the chance, but we didn’t take it? That’s the one thing that people truly come to regret: losing an opportunity for no reason other than self-doubt and fear. Don’t be afraid, Jelly. Grasp this with both hands – you won’t regret it. We must make enquiries. Promise me you will start writing to people who might be able to help.’

‘But if it is real – surely we wouldn’t tell people how we heard about it? We wouldn’t tell them about… this?’ The glass sat motionless amid the letters.

‘Of course we would,’ Adila countered. ‘An amazing story, and evidence that the spirits are real.’

‘Wouldn’t it be… rather dangerous? Not many people believe in this kind of thing, not any longer.’

‘They will have to then. And we would be so proud… Sai, you must investigate. And if you find it soon, you can play it for your cathedral tour – imagine the impact! Wouldn’t that be amazing?’

As the youngest of three siblings, Jelly had spent much of her life feeling that other people were bigger than she was. Her habitual response was simple: she let them have their way so that she could get back to her violin.

She concealed her sense of defeat behind her brightest smile, her warmest goodnights, and a silent recognition that on the final point – the cathedral concerts – Adila was right. Now it would only be possible if she could find the piece fast.

*