Hobbes nodded. ‘Yes, I can see that.’

‘If I tell you, there will be consequences. And that scares me.’

‘That someone might be punished?’

‘More than that. Much more.’

The heat had been turned up in the room. It was sweltering.

Hobbes tried a different tack. ‘Can you talk about your childhood?’

He felt sure that Camilla Greene was going to divert the question yet again, but instead she brought her hands into sight on the tabletop and locked them together. She spoke in a strained manner, recalling past events, as from another life.

‘Our parents were strange in so many ways. Mother was a devout Catholic, my father a serious artistic type, very much a Bohemian, at least in his own mind. They made a bizarre coupling. But I do believe they were in love, enough anyway to produce four children.’

‘There was a gap before Adeline came along?’

‘Yes, a long gap. I was ten years old by then.’ Camilla nodded. ‘Yes. A lovely child. I took to her, I must say. She was closer to me than she was to Rosamund.’

‘Rosamund didn’t like her?’

‘Not really. No. But she was a teenager at the time, so she had other things on her mind. As did Nicholas.’

‘What about your parents? How were they with the child?’

‘They welcomed her, at first.’

‘And then?’

‘Father was at his peak as a writer, and a director, and he often worked late, or travelled the country with new productions. So he wasn’t home for stretches at a time. But he was always very kind to Adeline, whenever he was around, bringing her little presents.’

‘And Mary Estelle?’ Hobbes asked.

Camilla hesitated. ‘You have to understand. Mother was nearing her forties. Her career had stalled. I think she resented Adeline’s presence. She could hear the tolling of the bell, if you know what I mean?’

Latimer nodded. ‘She was getting older?’

‘In terms of being a theatrical presence, yes. For women on the stage, it is a difficult transition. And she wasn’t getting the older female’s roles, sadly. But Leonard’s plays were still doing well, and he was now working with younger actresses, in the roles that Mother first played and made famous. They were always very good-looking, these new young actresses, and, well, you can imagine how Mary Estelle must have felt, seeing them on the stage, and watching her husband directing them.’

‘She was jealous.’

‘Yes, of course, although she would never admit it. She became quite reclusive, rarely leaving the house. Keeping to herself, locking herself in her room. So we had the run of the place, myself and little Adeline. We would play Hide and Seek for hours on end. Bridlemere was filled with little cubbyholes and alcoves.’

‘So you became a kind of mother figure to your younger sister?’

A look of regret came over Camilla’s face. Regret, tinged with anger. ‘Well, someone had to do it. But I was glad. Yes. I enjoyed playing with her, teaching her things, making up stories and little plays, acting them out together.’