Maude turned to Nell. ‘Did you use to come in here too?’

‘No,’ said Nell as she looked around the room, which was lined with bookcases, most of them locked. ‘You have to be a member of the Lit and Phil to be allowed in.’

‘The Literary and Philosophical Society,’ said Gina, ‘though who exactly is literary and who is philosophical is never very clear.’

‘Like a private club?’ Maude asked.

‘Sort of,’ said Gina, leading them to a polished oval table placed in the centre of the room. ‘Right, let’s have a look at your treasure.’

Maude had insisted on carrying the shoebox inside her rucksack. Now she slid it out, handing it to Gina. Gently, Gina opened the lid and peered in.

It seemed to Nell that she hesitated a little before reaching inside and lifting out the shoe. ‘We found it in the house,’ she said.

‘In the bedroom. In the wall,’ said Maude.

‘And we were just – wondering about it.’

‘Well,’ said Gina, softly, ‘would you look at that.’ She placed it on the table. ‘Sheila, have you got a minute?’

‘Goodness.’ The old lady, Mrs Agar, made her way across the room. ‘In a wall, you said?’

‘Yes. On a little stone shelf.’

‘So, it wasn’t – lost?’ Gina asked.

‘No.’ This hadn’t occurred to Nell before, but someone must have placed the shoe on the shelf quite deliberately. ‘No. I don’t suppose it was.’

‘What do you think?’ Maude asked.

The two older women exchanged looks. ‘I think I’d need to check,’ said Gina.

‘You could try Dr Nathan,’ said Mrs Agar.

‘Who’s Dr Nathan?’

‘Sally Nathan. She’s an archaeologist; officially she’s working on a project up at the abbey, but she comes in here sometimes, to use our archive.’ Gina looked down at the shoe again. ‘I could ask.’

‘Or you could keep it,’ said Nell. ‘I mean, isn’t it better off in a museum?’

‘Easier said than done, I’m afraid,’ said Gina. ‘Donating something is quite a complicated process, and it’s not really yours to offer, is it?’

‘No. I suppose not.’

‘You could leave it with me, though,’ said Gina, ‘and I’ll see what Dr Nathan thinks.’

‘No,’ said Maude.

Nell turned to her. ‘Hey,’ she said, ‘think about your tone, please.’

‘Are you sure?’ said Gina. ‘I’d take very good care of it.’

‘No.’

‘Maude.’

‘Sorry.’ Maude leant over the table and pushed gently at the shoe, edging it further towards the centre. ‘But it belongs in the house.’

‘She has a point, you know,’ said Gina, ‘I could take some photos, then? Would that be all right, pet?’

Maude nodded but it was gone, Nell realised, the sunny relaxed mood they’d been enjoying; they were back to where they had started.