There was a full-length mirror at the side of the bed and Steph couldn’t help admiring the coat. She felt glamorous and chic – was that what Elizabeth had wanted to feel? She remembered Sonia saying how they’d come from nothing and Elizabeth’s ambition was for wealth and success. In just this one item of clothing, Steph could feel that achievement, but had that been enough for Elizabeth? Had she wanted more and had that led to her death?

Steph slid her hands into the pockets and twirled around, admiring the coat from all angles. It was then she felt a hole in the lining of the right-hand pocket. She wiggled her fingers – yes, it was actually quite a big hole. Steph held the coat open and inspected the lilac silk lining. The pockets were sewn between the outer fabric and the inner fabric. As the light of the sun shone onto the lining it highlighted something small and rectangular inside the coat that must have fallen through the hole in the pocket. With a bit of dexterity Steph managed to pull it out back through the pocket.

It was some sort of business card – white, plain on one side and on the other, written in gold, was the name Camilla and underneath it a phone number. The card was bordered with a rose in the corner and an elegant scroll of gold around the edge. It looked as though it were a place card for a wedding, and if it hadn’t been for the phone number Steph would probably have dismissed it as such. After all, the coat was gorgeous enough to wear to a wedding. Something about the card was bothering her, but she couldn’t quite pin down the thought.

‘Steph! Stephanie!’

The sound of her name being called made Steph whirl round in a panic. It was Pru.

Steph hastily shrugged off the coat. Her hand was shaking as she slipped it onto the coat hanger. She didn’t have time to do the buttons back up or to squeeze it in at the end of the wardrobe where she’d found it.

‘Have you seen Steph anywhere?’

Pru’s voice was right outside the door.

Steph had no idea who Pru was talking to, but as quietly as possible she closed the wardrobe door. She was about to turn the key when she saw the door handle move.

She leapt away from the wardrobe and snatched up the towels before turning around to face the door just as it opened.

‘What are you doing in here?’ Pru’s voice was harsh. Her eyes bored into Steph’s.

Steph swallowed hard. ‘I was just bringing these towels up to one of the rooms, but I think I’ve got my bearings all wrong.’

‘You’re not supposed to be in here,’ said Pru, her gaze now touring the bedroom and coming to settle back on Steph.