She turned the blades of the scissors towards her own stomach area, just to the side. She was still holding the dress in the other hand.

‘I watched you from the shadows.’

Her voice had taken on its former tone, and Adeline’s looks settled on her face, at least for the moment.

‘No one can see me, not when I wish it. I have no form in the world, only what I have stolen, and the mask I wear. And so I move in silence, unseen, when I desire to. And I did so, I desired to watch you, Detective, after Nicholas had told of your interest in my case. I waited in the niches and alcoves of Bridlemere, all those places where Camilla and I used to play our games of Hide and Seek.’

‘You visited your family home?’

The woman’s face shifted, and the patterns of rain trembled down her. Her teeth were visible as she smiled in delight. Her mouth broadened further, into a snarl.

‘You were standing only a few feet from me, and I saw you shiver, as though a ghost had visited you.’

‘I don’t believe in ghosts.’

‘I watched you a second time, when you took the dress in your hands, and rubbed it against your face. I saw your look of pleasure. How wonderful. And yet how ashamed you must feel! How alone!’

‘You were there? You followed me?’

‘I saw you at the funeral of my grandfather, when you chased that silly little girl with her pretend dress. What a fool you made of yourself that day.’

‘What else have you seen?’

‘I looked at you from my little house of twigs.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘You leaned over and looked into my room of branches, and my carpet of dried leaves, my walls of glass. Don’t you remember? When David introduced me?’

‘Of course. He called you Nell.’

‘Like I said, my first name. Nell Smith.’

‘So David Kepple’s involved?’

‘In his ignorance, yes. Ignorant of all things, only that I exist, and must be loved. And fed. And praised. And prayed for. And kept warm. The family deemed it so!’

That one phrase contained the whole meaning of this case.

The family deemed it so.

Hobbes felt sick.

Adeline’s hands trembled on the scissors. He really thought she was going to damage herself now, but before he could move to stop her, Adeline had twisted away, or slithered away, or floated away, for her body had taken on a liquid quality – she was hardly there at all. And she made for the kitchen door, her feet soundless on the stone floor. Before Hobbes could even turn, she had wrenched open the door and run outside.

He stepped out. The rain hit him immediately, drenching his hair and face. The sky was low and the darkest grey, almost black. He could see only a few feet ahead. His shoes sank into the muddy soil as he moved forward, calling her name.