Lucy fell silent again, thinking that she needed to make a decision today about whether she would head home to London because that would disrupt any job-seeking anyway. She realized she didn’t want to go. Gunpowder Barn might be haunted—she might be haunted—but she still felt a very strong pull to the place.

“We can drop some of Charlie’s notes around later if you want to help out deciphering them,” Finn offered. “Can’t offer to pay you, though, I’m afraid—”

“Except with a cooked breakfast tomorrow,” Johnny finished. “And regular tea and cake.”

Geoffrey’s ears pricked up and he looked hopeful. Finn, seeing his face in the rearview mirror, laughed. “Not for dogs,” he said, “although there may be a spare sausage.”

They passed a golf club and the country road started to be bordered with houses. “We’re just coming into Highworth now,” Finn said. “Where are you meeting Cleo?”

“In the market square,” Lucy said. “Gosh, there are a lot of new buildings here. I haven’t been to see Cleo for a good few years and the town was smaller then.” She pointed to a shop halfway down the high street. “That’s Cleo’s bookshop. It’s very like Cleo herself—stylish, eclectic and very cool.”

Finn smiled. “It’s nice that you’re so supportive of each other,” he said. “I can see you’re very close. I’ve been in the shop a few times actually, though I don’t think Cleo was there. There was a very helpful bookseller who ordered some obscure sixteenth-century treatise on herbal planting for me.”

“That would be Sam, Cleo’s girlfriend,” Lucy said. “They run the place together. She’s really into antiquarian books and history.”

Finn turned into the market square and stopped by a smart looking café with pavement tables shaded by poppy-red umbrellas. Cleo was sitting beneath one of them looking chic and fresh in a white T-shirt with a matching white scarf wrapped around her unruly black hair. She looked up and waved.

“Thanks so much.” Lucy hopped quickly out of the car and pulled the seat forward so that Johnny could extract himself and take her place in the front. Geoffrey stretched out expansively into the space. “Have a great day,” she said. “Have fun, Geoffrey!”

Geoffrey yawned widely and Johnny gave her a wave as Finn pulled out into the traffic.

“Hey,” Cleo said. “How are you? And was that Johnny Robsart in the car with you and Finn?”

“Fine, thank you, and yes,” Lucy said. She followed Cleo back to the table where her sister had already ordered a cappuccino and an almond croissant. Around them the umbrellas fluttered in the breeze and people were eating brunch. A waiter came over and she ordered apple juice and a plate of pancakes with maple syrup and blueberries. The toast had been at least two hours ago.

“Good,” Cleo said approvingly. “It’s good to see you’ve got an appetite. It was nice of Finn to give you a lift,” she added. “What’s he doing today?”