He gave up awfully easily, Pip thought. He’d make a terrible barrister. ‘Actually, now that you’re here,’ she said, ‘there was something I wanted to run past you.’

Nicholas looked a little taken aback at the reversal of roles, but he was listening.

‘Your aunt had a friend in London back in the day. Ted. I was thinking of trying to get in touch with him. I’m sure your aunt would love to see him, but I’d like to make it a surprise. Do you think she’d be up for something like that?’

Nicholas’s brow wrinkled as he thought about what she’d said. ‘Yes, I should think so. She’s a game old bird. But she’s never mentioned anyone from the old days to me, and you’ve only spent a few hours with her. How’ve you heard about him so soon?’

Pip felt her blush creep up her chest and burn her cheeks.

Nicholas was on to her straight away. ‘You read her diary, didn’t you?’ he asked her slyly. ‘The one I brought here by mistake.’

Pip could deny it, but what would be the point? ‘I did,’ she replied. ‘I had to work out who it belonged to so I could return it.’ She knew it sounded feeble, but it was the best she had.

‘Well I never,’ he said, looking very pleased with himself. ‘Not quite as whiter than white as we’d like to make out, are we?’ he said with an air of triumph.

Pip was cross to have been caught out, but there was nothing she could do about it so she tried to rise above it and pressed on. ‘Anyway, I don’t have much to go on, but I’ll see if I can track him down.’

‘Maybe we should hire a private detective,’ Nicholas said. He sounded quite excited about the idea.

‘I don’t think we need to go quite that far,’ replied Pip, bursting his bubble. ‘I was thinking of placing a small ad in the Evening Standard. I know it’s a long shot, but let’s start small. If that doesn’t work then maybe I’ll consider your private dick.’

Nicholas looked a little disappointed, but he nodded his agreement.

‘Don’t tell her though, will you?’ Pip checked. ‘I’d really like it to be a surprise.’

‘No. I won’t tell her, but could you let me know if you get anywhere? If he’s coming to the house, then we’ll need to have a bit of a tidy up. I’m not sure Aunt Evelyn would want anyone to see the current state of the place.’

‘I was thinking about that, too,’ said Pip. ‘I was wondering if I could help at all.’