When I awoke in the morning Darcy had gone. I found myself still smiling as I got out of bed. He was nearby. That was all that mattered. Until I was rekindling the fire and remembered that he was probably in a lot of danger. Why oh why did he have to take such stupid assignments? Why couldn’t he settle down and be a farmer like Binky? I knew the answer. Because he enjoyed what he did. He loved the thrill.

We had arranged to meet at the village shop in Rock at noon. He would do what he could to help, but obviously he had to be extra cautious at the moment. “If necessary and I can’t get away, you can give a note to Jago,” he said. “He’s a good man. Quite trustworthy.”

I made tea and ate an egg plus the last of the treacle tart for breakfast, then set off for Truro. I encountered no vehicles on the road before I reached the village of Rock. As I passed the gate to Trengilly I slowed and glanced inside but there was no sign of movement that I could see. I felt a pang of apprehension that Darcy was in there with a group of potentially dangerous people. I had seen how easy it is to have a body wash up on the shore here. I had to tell myself that he knew what he was doing. This was old hat to him.

After that, I followed the signposts, leading me through villages with more unbelievable saints’ names until I came to the city of Truro, nestled between hills with the three spires of its cathedral rising above the narrow streets. I was startled to hear the sound of church bells and realized that it must be Sunday. I had lost all track of time, shut away at Trewoma. The day was confirmed by smartly dressed people walking toward the cathedral.

I found a policeman directing traffic, and he showed me the way to the Crown Court, a little out of the center of the town. I asked to see Belinda, half expecting to be turned down, but a nice policeman led me to a room with a table and chairs in it. I sat and waited and after a little while Belinda was escorted in to sit opposite me. She looked hollow eyed and so scared and I wanted to get up and hug her, but the burly attendant stood right behind her.

“How are you holding up?” I asked.

“It’s awful. I had to pee into a bucket,” she said. “And I got a bowl of disgusting porridge for breakfast and there is no mirror for me to put on my makeup. I’m sure I look a fright.”

Only Belinda would worry about her makeup in such circumstances.

“Did you manage to talk to Daddy?” she asked.