David looked at her disapprovingly. Professor, now Dame, Margaret Bockford had been a supporter of the Hart Archaeological Research Institute since its foundation. Her support had even survived the university marketing department’s decision to give them a trading name of the Hart Unit. In Margaret’s view a lamentable development, and one that had proved to be a source of endless mirth among their colleagues. But Clare knew David resented having to ask anyone, and especially Margaret, who’d already done so much to help them, for assistance.

‘You can pull all the faces you like, but you’ve seen the figures. We’re in no position to be precious about this. Anyway, there’s no point in having friends in high places if they can’t do you the odd favour.’

David raised his eyes to the ceiling. ‘OK. What did Margaret have to say for herself?’

‘She’s found us a job.’

‘What sort of job?’

‘Fieldwork. An evaluation ahead of a housing development.’

He straightened up in his chair. ‘Really? I haven’t heard of anything going round here.’

‘It’s not round here.’

‘Where, then?’

‘The Cotswolds.’

‘Where exactly in the Cotswolds?’

Clare hesitated. She knew he wasn’t going to like her reply. ‘Bailsgrove.’

‘Bailsgrove! You’re not serious?’

‘What’s wrong with Bailsgrove?’

‘Don’t give me that. You know as well as I do. Bailsgrove was Beth Kinsella’s dig.’

‘And?’ She looked at him defiantly, struggling to keep an even tone to her voice. If truth be told she was no keener on this than he was, but if they had to close the unit she’d be out of a job. It was alright for David, he was safe as houses in his lecturing job with the university. But if the unit shut she had nowhere to go.

‘And Beth Kinsella was found dangling dead as a dodo amid a collection of assorted rotting bunny carcasses on that site.’

‘Since when did you believe everything you read in the papers? Anyway, we can’t afford to be picky.’

‘Picky! Christ, Clare. The place will be crawling with police. I’d have thought you’d have had enough of that after Hungerbourne. Besides which, Beth Kinsella was a famous nutter. What sort of a state do you think her records will be in? It’ll be a nightmare.’

‘Did you know her?’

‘I knew of her – that was enough.’

‘Well, maybe you should suspend your judgement until you see the site records.’ Clare picked up a sheet of paper from her desk and turned it round so that David could read the figures. She jabbed a finger at the bottom line. ‘In any case we don’t have a choice.’

He looked down at the page of A4 and exhaled deeply, then mumbled into his chest. ‘It’ll cost a fortune in fuel.’

‘If we turn this job down that will be the least of our worries.’