She assumes that Blanche will walk away now, out into the corridor to join her husband. But Blanche hesitates. ‘You must be careful,’ she says. ‘If the Queen’s court discovers the true nature of Catharina and Margriet’s relationship, they may turn on her. Maarten would happily tell them. But perhaps if I tell him you are coming with us, to be my companion, he will not say a word. We could be great friends, Anna Tesseltje. I would see that you want for nothing once we reach our new home.’

Anna is torn. She has to trust that Crispijn will protect her and Catharina. That’s what he promised. She will write to him, she thinks, and warn him of Maarten’s threat. In a week, the Horsts will be on a ship bound for Sumatra.

‘I’m sorry,’ she says. Blanche’s face falls. Hunching her shoulders, she turns away and scurries out.

14

Jo

‘So, what do we do now?’ Bram said, his voice booming through the speaker of my phone that sat on the kitchen table of Gerrit’s cottage. I could hear noisy laughter in the background, the chime of cutlery, Sem shouting something about a late order.

I rubbed my tired eyes.

‘I’ll keep trying to get Liam to talk,’ I said. ‘Although he blocked me after that last voicemail I left.’ I suspected I’d solved the mystery of the missing notebook: Liam had either stolen it from me or found it after I left the lab. He’d used my notes to draft a media release arguing Catharina’s ownership of the dress, conveniently leaving out the details about Anna’s connection to Texel and the presence of caustic washerwoman’s lye in the seams. Since he’d blocked my phone number, I’d sent off a furious email as soon as Marieke and I reached the cottage.

How could you! I’d written, my hands shaking so hard I could barely type. After everything we’ve been through, I thought you’d at least have the decency to tell me you were planning to detonate our arrangement. Please know that despite your damaging announcement, the Noord-Holland government has agreed for the dress and the other artefacts to be returned here for a short display at the historical society’s archives. I’ll be in contact with Sara at Huis van Hilde to arrange transportation of the dress in two weeks’ time. If you have any issues, feel free to take it up with Councillor Rob Disijk and the Provincial Government of Noord Holland.