‘I know you’re here,’ I sing-songed, but as I lifted bed linen and explored cupboards to no effect, I felt the growing of dismay. Finally, I stood by the hearth knowing, but not wanting to acknowledge, that there was nobody here. And what had I heard? A trapped pigeon in the attics? A rat? Some strange echoing of sound from another part of the house? And then I noticed, on the dressing table, something that had not been there before. I went to investigate and found a black stone, too similar to the one that I had discovered in Mary’s pocket to be anything other. It could not be – surely not. I had thrown it full into the undergrowth. It was cold and heavy on my hand. I swallowed uneasily and placed it in my pocket to lock in my drawer.

I stepped to the door, keen to be away, when the whistling came whining from some place high up; it stopped and started as though manufactured by intent. It caught me and trapped me, releasing some profound dread.

I leapt down the stairs, catching my breath for a few moments at the bottom. Once I had recovered, I began to feel annoyance. Where was Mary? And then – there she was – standing in the hall beyond, that unreadable expression in her eyes, the mouth neither smiling nor displeased – a face that gave me nothing.

‘And where have you been? You must have hidden well.’ Although I attempted to rein in my irritation, there was exasperation in my tone. But of course she did not answer and I felt the further stir of emotion, already unsettled by what had just happened.

‘Where on earth were you? I looked everywhere. You didn’t go into the servants’ or your aunt’s quarters, did you?’ She shook her head and I smothered a sigh, wondering with anticipation if it might soon be time for lunch. I followed her along the passageway where she turned into her bedroom.

‘But I looked here,’ I said.

She pulled me to where a tapestry hung against the wall, drawing it aside to reveal a door. With a gesture, she indicated that I open it. It swung wide to a small room with walls of stone. The only light came from the dull beam that fell through a thin aperture, about which webs hung like charred lace. I shuddered. Had she hidden here? In the dark and alone?