“What part of ‘leave me alone’ are you having trouble with?” Nory crossed her arms defensively across her chest.

Guy shifted from foot to foot. He seemed reluctant to leave the welcome mat.

“It’s finished. My investigation. It would benefit Isaac greatly if he would let me interview him for the piece, but I understand he may have strong feelings about that.” He had the decency to look shamefaced. “If he’s happy to go ahead, I could get someone else to do the interview with my questions.”

“Why are you telling me?”

“I promised you I wouldn’t go to print without your go-ahead.”

“It’s not like you to keep a promise.”

Guy looked down at his shoes. “I found an expert willing to look at the pictures I took of Heba’s paintings. He was happy to go on record and go up against the De-Veers. He’s worked on similar cases, repatriating artworks stolen during the Second World War. He would need to see them in the flesh, as it were, to properly authenticate Heba’s work, but he thinks the case has legs. I think we’ve got something here, Nory. It’s a huge story. If it goes the way I think it will, I believe I can help Isaac prove the authenticity of his great-great-grandmother’s work without a costly legal case. My guy says he’ll work pro bono, and I’ve found a solicitor who will do the same; the publicity is worth more to them than the cash.”

He finished speaking and took a deep breath, like he’d been building himself up for it and was relieved it was over.

“May I come in?” he asked when she didn’t speak.

“You’re already in.”

He nodded to himself and stepped gingerly off the mat as though the floor might be made of lava. He undid the straps on his satchel as he crossed the shop floor, pulling out a thick manila folder, which he laid on the book-strewn desk.

“It’s all here. The expert’s initial report, my investigation into Serena De-Veer. According to the archives, she had never shown any aptitude for art before she took those first paintings to the publisher. Her old governess was pretty scathing about her disappointing efforts in the feminine arts. I’ve tracked down the family of an officer who was serving in India at the time the De-Veers lived there. He had paid Heba for some of her botanical paintings and brought them back for his wife. They’ve stayed in the family, I’ve seen them. They want to help in any way they can. There were others too; Heba gifted one soldier a painting for his new daughter and another to an army chef.”