Once settled with her whisky glass and a lit cigarillo, she asked, ‘So, Miss Goddard, what do you know about Mr Chadwick?’

‘I know he’s one of the few people in the village who’s shown any kindness to my brother,’ I began.

‘And . . .’

‘And we’ve been to his hut and we can see how much he likes it.’

‘And . . .’

‘And I’ve heard that some people want to get him off the land, because it belongs to the church. There’s a proposal to sell it, to fill the hole in the church’s finances.’

‘Some people?’

I was beginning to understand how she was employing her interview skills and decided to try turning the tables. ‘I think you know who, Miss Calver.’

She gave a loud guffaw. ‘Very good, Miss Goddard. You will go far.’ She sucked on her cigarillo. ‘I do indeed. Could it be the person we spoke about a few days ago?’

Even though I barely knew her I felt, instinctively, that I could trust her. ‘Apparently Eli’s hut is on church land and he hasn’t got a lease.’

‘Go on.’

‘I haven’t got any more to tell you,’ I said. ‘But I’d love to know why Blackman seems to have it in for Eli.’

‘Goes back quite a few years,’ she said. ‘I’ll not trouble you with the details, save to say they’ve had their differences in the past, these two men. Eli knows more about Mr Blackman and his dealings with the previous incumbent than he’s ever divulged – of that I am sure. Which is probably why Blackman fears him. But as I said before, and as I learned to my cost a couple of years ago, the Blackness is not a man to be trifled with.’

‘To your cost?’ I was shocked. She’d had her differences with him, too?

She shook her head. ‘Don’t press me, Miss Goddard. Water under the bridge and all that.’

‘But is there anything we can do to help Eli?’

She emptied her glass. ‘My advice would be to watch and wait. Tell your pa to be very careful, if possible. And come back to me if you hear any more, won’t you?’

When I got back to the house Mrs D had gone home, and a note said that Jimmy was with Pa at the church. But when I got there, I found Pa in the vestry, looking through some old ledgers.

‘Have you seen Jimmy?’ I said.

He stood up unsteadily, his breath sickly with the sweet smell of communion wine.

‘For heaven’s sake, Pa. He’s supposed to be with you.’

‘He was here a moment ago,’ he said, his voice slurred.

‘What are you doing with those old account books?’

‘Trying to work out . . . to make sense . . .’