Trembling, Jan opened the front door, just wide enough to be able to see it was Chris. ‘Why are you here?’ she asked again, her voice unsteady. She kept one hand on the door, ready to close it if necessary.

‘You didn’t answer my texts,’ Chris said, looking concerned. ‘I wanted to make sure you were all right. Which clearly you’re not.’

She stared at him, uncertain.

‘When I arrived at the cottage just now I found it in darkness. And why is Tinder barking from your bedroom? You look very pale. Are you ill?’

‘No, I’ve had a shock,’ Jan said. ‘Was that you in the back garden just now?’

‘No, of course not. Is there someone there?’

‘There was. I expect they’ve gone now.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Sure that I saw someone or sure that they’ve gone?’

‘Shall I come in and check?’ he asked.

Jan looked at him carefully and didn’t immediately open the door wider.

‘Jan, it’s me, Chris,’ he said. ‘I am not going to harm you. Whatever is the matter?’

She slowly opened the door and let him in.

‘I’ll check the garden,’ he said. Taking the torch from its hook, he walked swiftly down the hall. ‘You stay here,’ he called.

‘No, I’m coming with you.’

Jan went after him, through the kitchen and into the garden. He held the torch out in front and swept its beam around the lawn and shrubbery. There was nothing to be seen. He went to the very bottom of the garden. She followed.

‘My repair is still in place,’ he said, focusing the beam of light on the planks of wood that still covered the hole in the hedge.

‘They can climb over things,’ Jan said, and saw his expression of incredulity.

‘What can, Jan?’ he asked, and shone the torch around the rest of the garden. ‘You said there was someone in the garden.’

‘There was.’

The beam fell on the food on the patio. ‘I’m not surprised creatures are coming in if you leave food out,’ Chris said tersely.

‘I wanted them to stay long enough to film them.’

‘And did they?’ he asked sceptically.

‘Yes.’

She saw his expression change to astonishment and unease, then he recovered.

‘There’s nothing here now,’ he said firmly. ‘You look cold. Come on, let’s go indoors and you can show me the video you took.’

She went with him. As they approached the back door he paused to shine the torch down the side passageway. ‘That’s how your intruder got in,’ he said. ‘You’ve left the gate open.’

‘It was closed the last time I looked,’ Jan said lamely.

Chris shut the side gate. ‘Keep it closed and they won’t come in,’ he said.

He was taking this all too well, Jan thought, but he would struggle to account for the video clip.