‘And this is the third baby you’ve dug up so far.’

Clare nodded nervously. ‘That’s right.’

‘Talk us through what happens to them when you find a burial, Clare?’

This didn’t seem to be going too badly after all. She began to relax.

Clare launched into her subject with gusto. ‘Well, as you can see we excavate them with extreme care. We’re lucky to have Dr Josephine Granski on our team. Jo here is one of the world’s leading human bone specialists.’ Jo glanced up and smiled. Ben gestured at her to keep digging and Jo duly obliged. ‘Jo records the position of every bone and photographs the burial before it’s lifted. And then the remains will be taken away for detailed analysis.’

Ben Jackson said, ‘We’ve spoken to the local Druid, Wayne Crabbs, this morning, Clare. And Mr Crabbs is concerned that the souls of these dead babies should be at peace.’ Clare didn’t like the way this was heading. ‘How do you justify disturbing the last resting place of these children, Mrs Hills?’

Clare managed to maintain her smile. ‘It’s part of our job. We’re here to tell their stories. By studying their bones we can help reveal the details of their short lives and discover what life was like here in the past. We can give these children a voice.’

Ben Jackson nodded. ‘Is it true that one of the babies had had their throat cut, and another had been beaten to death with a rock?’

Clare wiped the sweat from her palms on the front of her moleskins. She could feel her heart pumping ten to the dozen. She took in a deep breath before answering. ‘Two of the skeletons did show some signs of violence.’

‘So what do you say to those who say these children have suffered enough?’

Clare could feel her colour rising. Keep calm, just keep calm! She struggled to control the pitch of her voice. ‘But no one would have known they’d suffered a violent death unless we’d dug them up in the first place.’

‘Don’t you think what you’re doing here is disrespectful, Mrs Hills? Digging up babies, just to build houses. Aren’t you putting profit before people?’

Clare could feel the last vestiges of her self-control slipping away. ‘We’re just doing our job. Without our work no one would know what happened here.’

Ben Jackson leant forward and in hushed tones said, ‘These children have lain here undisturbed for centuries. Wouldn’t you agree that the bones of the ancient dead deserve to rest in peace, Mrs Hills?’

Clare lost it. She jabbed a finger at Ben Jackson and all but yelled at him. ‘Now look here. You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. We don’t even know yet if the bones are ancient.’

Ben Jackson sensed blood. ‘Are you saying these burials could be recent?’