Thea nodded absently, working out the relationships and still wondering what the appearance of this Ben implied for her personally. If nothing else, it looked as if he’d be getting between her and Clovis. ‘How can she be your aunt?’ she demanded. ‘She’s just told me she’s not married to either of the Jackson brothers.’

‘Oh – she’s not exactly an aunt. Dick’s not altogether my uncle either, come to that. But we are all related. I’ve been coming down here since I was a baby, and I’ve always known Auntie Norma. She was the first person to show me how to do a spreadsheet, when I was about six.’

‘And he’s always been a very rewarding pupil,’ the woman said fondly. ‘I’ve taken a lot of interest in his progress over the years.’ She addressed the young man. ‘I 275came here to suggest lunch, as it happens. I thought this lady might be feeling a bit lonely.’

‘Thea. She’s called Thea,’ said Clovis, with a proprietorial air. ‘And I think I’ve got a prior claim in that respect.’

There followed a comical interlude in which everyone looked at everyone else, trying to assess the underlying realities. Thea felt a mild embarrassment, combined with a girlish glow at Clovis’s claim on her. ‘Well …’ she said. ‘We could probably all go somewhere.’

‘No, no.’ Norma backed off, her hands held up vertically. ‘I can see I’d be surplus to requirements. And if you’re all going to talk about gruesome murder details, I’d rather not be there, anyway.’

‘It was very nice of you to think of me,’ said Thea. ‘Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anyone to turn up.’ Hearing herself contradicting Clovis, she added quickly, ‘At least, I wasn’t sure we’d made a firm arrangement.’

‘No problem. If you do need somebody to talk to, here’s my number.’ She proffered a small business card, which Thea glanced at before putting it in her pocket. ‘You’re welcome to come over and have a drink with me and Bernie one evening.’

‘That’s very kind,’ said Thea, wishing this had all happened three days ago.

‘There’s a pub in Ampney Crucis,’ said Clovis. ‘Do you know it?’

‘No, but I’m more than happy to give it a try. That whole area’s still a mystery to me. Have you got time for us to do a bit of exploring?’276

‘All day,’ he said airily. ‘There’s a church that’s worth a look, and we could even walk along to Poulton or somewhere. You know it, do you, Ben? The Crown of Crucis, they call it.’

‘Not very well. I do know that my grandfather was born in Poulton, unlike all his brothers, because Great-Grandma had gone for a ride when she was eight months pregnant, and went into labour before she could get home. It’s a family legend. He was her sixth child, and she dropped him right by Betty’s Grave. Luckily it was a June afternoon, and there were haymakers close by. Mother and baby were both perfectly well within an hour or so. Oh – and Great-Granddad is buried in Ampney Crucis. He’s the one we’re all descended from.’