‘Okay, so what happened when you went to the farm that first time?’

‘I was asked to hold a séance and both Mr and Mrs Bateman joined me at the table. But Mr Bateman was very anxious and made it clear to me that he was only there to keep his wife happy.’

‘What impression did you have of the couple?’

‘Well, there was obviously a degree of friction between them over the issue. Mr Bateman insisted that the house was not haunted and he hadn’t heard any strange noises. But Mary was convinced the spirits were those of Simon and Amanda Roth.’

‘Did the séance settle the matter?’ James asked.

‘Unfortunately, no. Although I sensed a strong spiritual presence, I wasn’t able to make contact for some reason. Mary was bitterly disappointed and got very upset, and Robert described the whole thing as a waste of time and money and stormed out of the room.’

‘How would you describe Mrs Bateman’s state of mind?’

‘It was clear to me that she was struggling with life at the time. And I also got the impression there were things she wanted to tell me but couldn’t.’

‘Did you stay in touch after that?’

‘No. As I said, it was another four years before she approached me again and asked me to come back to the farm,’ Ms Doyle said. ‘She told me that she was hearing more strange noises and these were coming from the cellar as well as from behind the walls. To be honest, her behaviour made me think that she might be on the verge of a mental breakdown. She said her life was a mess and she was having to keep secrets that were tearing her apart. She even revealed to me that she’d considered committing suicide.’

‘So why did she want you to return?’

‘She wanted me to try again to make contact with whatever spirits were in the house. But this time it was just the two of us. Robert was away and so was their daughter.’

‘And how did that go?’

‘It was strange and quite upsetting,’ Ms Doyle said. ‘You see, I did manage to make contact, but not with Simon and Amanda Roth.’

‘Who then?’

‘That’s the thing. My head filled with the sound of a baby crying. And when I closed my eyes, I saw a tiny, indistinct figure wrapped in a blanket floating in the air in front of me. I know you’ll find that hard to believe, but it’s true. I’ve managed to reach a great many spirits since I realised I had the gift but this was by far the most upsetting encounter I’ve ever had. I was quite shaken by it.’

James felt his stomach roll.

‘How did Mary react?’ he asked.