‘She’s alive, dear boy, just hang on to that. Children are remarkably resilient. You said yourself how brave she was. I’m willing to bet she’ll surprise you. Just give it time.’

Matt yawned. ‘And I must phone Liz and ask her to pick me up. I daren’t drive with two brandies inside me and all these coppers in the vicinity. What a day!’

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, Will woke up in tears. They hadn’t stopped an hour later when he finally drifted back to sleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

At breakfast the following day, Sam told Will that he had risen early and taken a walk to the remains of the mill. There was still a police cordon around the building, which had sustained significant damage. The tower had completely caved in, scattering rubble and other detritus across the boggy ground. He had not been allowed too close, but one particular scrap of debris had caught his eye. Along with some other pieces of rubbish that had been collected up by the officers and piled in a heap, was the broken remains of Isaac Berridge’s oil lamp.

They concluded that Grove had taken it from the cottage to the secret storeroom at the mill to provide a source of lighting. To have noticed the lamp, Kate, at some time or another, must have gone there, either with Grove, or alone. Will had seen her walking near the mill many times, and was inclined to believe that she had watched Grove, and then after he left, gone inside herself. Surely he had far too much to hide to risk inviting a copper’s wife into his Aladdin’s cave, although after one of his consignments had arrived, he would have shipped it all out as soon as possible, so maybe she’d found the gallery room, and there was nothing incriminating to see anyway?

Will went to phone the clinic. Thinking of Kate wandering the marsh made him feel terribly lonely. He missed her and longed for her to be back with him. With Sophie safe and Grove in custody, he could concentrate on his wife and her recovery.

He was told that Lawrence Hassel was with a patient and unable to come to the phone. Will said he would ring again later, but apparently the doctor was doing assessments all afternoon. Perhaps Mr Stonebridge would leave it until the evening, or better still, the next day? He was assured that his wife was settling in “just fine,” but they would prefer it if he didn’t speak with her for a while. ‘She has just started Dr Hassel’s medication regime, sir. It would be very unsettling for her. I’m sure you understand.’