‘Well, not perfect actually.’ Her voice turned to a whisper. ‘We have a visitor, name of Sergei Borisov. I believe you know him.’

‘Good God, what’s he doing there?’

‘Eaton brought him. Apparently he doesn’t trust the safe houses used by the British secret services.’

‘You should have said no. Is he there now?’

‘Yes, he’s here now. Eating our food, drinking our coffee.’

‘Happy to accept the charity of my beautiful bourgeoise wife then?’

‘What?’

‘Never mind. Just something he said that stuck in my mind.’

‘Well, on the plus side, Eaton brought a good supply of comestibles. On the minus side, I really don’t feel comfortable with this man in the house. I think he’s done bad things . . .’ Her whispered words tailed off.

Of course he had done bad things. He was SMERSH. Part of Stalin’s killing machine. ‘Can you put him on the phone?’

‘Why? What are you going to say?’

‘I’m going to tell him he needs to find somewhere else. This is an outrageous misuse of your good nature.’

‘No, don’t do that. He’ll be gone in two or three days. Anyway, you’ll be home soon . . . won’t you?’

‘Yes, I’ll be home soon. I have to prepare for Michaelmas. But has he done anything untoward? Has he tried anything on?’

‘No, nothing like that. He’s actually very cheery and plays on the floor with Johnny. Goes out a lot, too. Eaton has provided him with a motorbike. But you know me, if there’s something rotten in a man’s soul, I see it. And I see it in him. I see the crawling worms beneath the skin.’

‘Don’t take any risks. If you have the slightest cause for concern, call Rupert Weir or go straight to the police. Don’t call Eaton. Got that?’

‘Come home soon, darling.’

‘I love you with all my heart, Lydia.’

*

His next call was to Paula Jaeger. He trusted her, but he didn’t trust that her phone wasn’t tapped, so he said nothing about the hidden meadow. ‘What’s happened about Uncle August?’

‘The French military police came and organised the removal of the body for autopsy. They questioned everyone in the village. And that’s it. What else can they do unless someone comes forward and testifies against the killers? And that’s not going to happen, Professor Wilde.’

‘Will you be around tomorrow?’

‘Where else would I go?’

‘Well, I might come to see you. I have a favour to ask.’

‘I wish you wouldn’t say things like that.’

‘Have you got a gun?’

‘Only Peter’s old hunting rifle.’

‘Keep it loaded and keep it with you.’

*