Rev. John Goddard, who took over in the parish of All Saints nine months ago, said: ‘We are aware that the money is missing and are working with the bank to try to discover what has happened to it.’

Villagers claim that when they enquired about the money, they were ‘fobbed off’.

‘We feel very angry about this,’ said a parishioner who did not wish to be named. ‘It is a substantial amount of money badly needed for church repairs, and nothing seems to have been done to find out what has happened to it.’

We understand that the matter has been referred for investigation by the diocese, but no one at the diocesan office was prepared to comment.

I sat down heavily on a chair. Mrs D took the paper from me, muttering, ‘The poor, poor man. Whoever would accuse him of something like this?’

A sharp knock on the door made us both jump.

‘Miss Calver, what . . .?

She was panting and looking more dishevelled than usual, and she glanced at the newspaper in my hand. ‘Oh, Molly. You’ve seen it already. I’m so sorry.’

‘It was you who spoke to the newspaper?’

‘Of course not, silly. Can I come in?’ She closed the door behind her and lowered her voice, although I felt sure Mrs D, who had disappeared into the kitchen, would hear every word. ‘I know who it was, Molly. Who leaked the story.’

It was just her tone of voice. My heart fell into my boots. I knew what she was going to say.

‘The Blackness?’ She nodded. ‘But why . . .?’

‘Think about it. He’s the only other person whose name is in the frame. It’s a pre-emptive strike, so to speak. A friend of mine, a reporter who knows I live in the village, rang me to ask if I could throw any more light on the story. He didn’t name his informant – a reporter always protects his sources – but from what he said, I knew immediately. No one else would have had access to the information.’

‘Except Mr Abbott. He pressed pretty hard at the last committee meeting – the one you missed.’

‘Ah. Well, I suppose it could have been him. But he’s not an educated man, and the language the informant used was absolutely the sort of thing Blackman might say: divesting assets, illegal encampment, serious financial difficulties. You know the sort of thing.’

‘Did you tell them anything?’ I asked.

She scoffed. ‘Of course not. I’m on your side, Molly, for goodness’ sake. I didn’t say a word.’

My head was spinning. Blackman might be evil, but was he seriously capable of doing such a terrible thing to another human being? ‘What do you mean, a pre-emptive strike?’ I asked.

‘He must have thought someone would go to the newspapers. So he was trying to silence them by getting his side of the story in quick.’