‘He became very … I’m not sure of the right word … withdrawn? His eyes wouldn’t meet mine. He no longer talked about his plans for our future. It was … I don’t know … strange. I kept asking if it was something I had done, if he was ashamed of me … and he said no. I think perhaps it was something from his past.’

‘But he never told you what that might be?’

‘No. But when I think about it, of course he had lived a lot of his life before he met me. I do not know it all, only what he told me. Perhaps I did not know much of it. It’s possible there was someone in his past who was an enemy, who he had reason to be frightened of.’

‘Did he act as if he was frightened?’ Carole’s mind was already sketching out a scenario in which Bill Shefford was a victim of blackmail.

‘Yes, he did. There was something … I don’t know … troubling him.’

‘Do you think it could have been something to do with the family? Billy or Shannon or …?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t think so. They had nothing against Bill … well, except for the fact that he married me.’

‘Mm. I heard from a friend who’d heard from someone’ – Carole changed her mind about mentioning Malee’s mother-in-law – ‘that Shannon had wanted to come here to look for a will.’

‘Yes.’

‘And that you wouldn’t let her.’

‘Is that so unreasonable?’

‘No, you’re within your rights.’

Carole clearly hadn’t kept all the disapproval out of her voice, because Malee said, ‘I’m not trying to deceive her. I’ve looked all through the house myself. I am at least as keen to find the will as Shannon is.’

‘And you’ve had no luck? Have you been on to Bill’s solicitor?’

‘Of course I have. And yes, they had been in discussion about the will. The solicitor had sent Bill a draft a couple of weeks before he died. The last thing he heard was that Bill was going to sign it in front of two witnesses and post it back.’ Malee looked glum. ‘It never arrived.’

‘And do you know …?’ Carole began tentatively.

‘Do I know what the provisions of the will were? That’s what you want to know, I suppose.’ There was an edge of bitterness in her voice as she said, ‘That, no doubt, is what all Fethering wants to know.’

‘There has been a lot of speculation,’ Carole admitted.

‘I can put an end to that right now,’ said Malee. ‘It was something that Bill had discussed with me. His plan was that I should inherit this house, some savings he had – not a lot – a small amount he had in a pension pot and the proceeds of a life insurance policy.’ She paused. ‘And Billy would inherit the premises and the business of Shefford’s Garage.’