‘No one that I know of except the tradespeople working on them,’ Angus said. ‘Oh, there was also that Dorling chap, but he only got as far as the front room of Number 2.’

‘Dorling!’ Mr Olliphant’s voice was sharper. ‘Would that be Bryce Dorling?’

‘Yes.’

‘Have nothing to do with the fellow and don’t trust him as far as you can throw him, however plausible he sounds.’

He hesitated, then added, ‘Strictly between these four walls, he’s a con merchant. Unfortunately, I was never able to pin him down and prove it because he’s not only cunning, but has influential friends in Sexton Bassett, including on the council. I’m fairly sure one particular councillor warned one or two of its members that it’d be personally dangerous to go against Dorling’s projects.’

He shook his head regretfully. ‘One chap told me about the warning, said they’d threatened his wife – not in so many words but that’s what it amounted to: a threat to her safety. He refused to elaborate on that, let alone do anything about it. So Dorling was able to push through permission to erect a group of rather nasty modern buildings in a nearby village. Those buildings didn’t at all fit in with the vernacular style of the other nearby dwellings and I’d consider them “all show and no go” if I were thinking of buying one. They looked pretty from outside but were much smaller than you’d think inside.’

He sighed. ‘Dorling threatened me too recently, though again very obliquely. But there was no mistaking his meaning. Please don’t quote me about that because I don’t have any witnesses. I’d have found a way to challenge him when I was younger, but I’m afraid I’m not in the best of health and I just want to retire without any hassles, so I’ve worked round him.’

‘Oh dear!’ Nell exchanged glances with Angus.

Mr Olliphant rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. ‘Please tread carefully. We have some capable and socially conscious developers in this part of England, but his sort pop up here and there, and they give the industry a bad name.’

‘He’s got Hobkins doing his bidding, that’s obvious,’ Nell said.

‘I’m surprised Dillon is going along with him. I’ve known him for years and always thought him an honest plodder. I wonder what hold they’ve got over the poor chap.’

‘He kept turning to Dorling for help when they were talking to me,’ Nell said. ‘I wasn’t imagining that.’

‘Hmm. You’d better watch out for intruders on your property, Mr Denning. One house that was being disputed about being scheduled for demolition suddenly burnt down a couple of years ago. They said it was caused by an electrical fault, but the owner didn’t believe that and nor did I. Only, once again, we couldn’t prove anything. There always has to be proof for the law to take action – fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your standpoint in the dispute.’

He sat frowning for a moment or two longer, then snapped his fingers. ‘I’ll see if I can find out who complained about you, at least. I can’t guarantee anything and it may take a few days, but I do have a contact who may know. I’d like to help you. My swansong, as you might say. It’ll make up a bit for my being rather, um, careful whom I upset in the past year.’