Mags knew Rory very well and hadn’t been above buying grouse and rabbits from him, though she had left the conclusion of such deals to Cook. She knew this to be a good solution, but was anxious about the disruption to their family life. ‘But for how long? How can we know when the threat has passed?’

‘You say that Harold iz running out of money, which means he haz to act fast. He haz been foiled from getting it from you, zo he will have to go to London to raise it. Susan haz told me that he still haz hiz house there. He could charge it to zee bank or sell it.’

‘Wouldn’t he have done that already – taken a bank loan on it, I mean?’

‘Possibly, but we have to hope that he hazn’t acted in character for once, and still has that asset to call on. If zo, he will only be able to spare a couple of dayz here. I will contact Susan. We know that he izn’t there, zo it will be safe to ring her any time. She may hear from Harold. She haz our number for an emergency, zo she can keep uz informed if he calls her, or if she hears of hiz plans. I need to tell her that she iz welcome to come here, Mags, because now I no longer have my flat, she will have nowhere to go. Are you happy with that?’

‘Of course – we have always included her. I thought of that myself and nearly blurted out to Harold that would happen, when he kicked Susan out.’

‘Thank you, my darling. It iz that I will always take care of Susan.’

‘And I would expect no less of you.’

Montel had taken her hand and now squeezed it gently. ‘I love you. Je t’adore.’

‘Oh, Montel, I adore you, too.’ She wanted so much to tell him of the possibility that they were to have a child, but now wasn’t the moment. She wouldn’t want her telling to be overshadowed by Harold’s threats to them, or to give Montel something else to worry about. And she would rather be certain, so as not to disappoint him if it turned out she wasn’t pregnant.

‘I will go to zee house and telephone Susan. You go and see Betsy, and warn her about there being danger to uz all.’

Neither Mags nor Betsy felt like eating their sandwiches, but they picked at them as they sat in the sunshine.

‘Eeh, lass, I’d lulled meself into thinking that nowt could touch us now. But they say a bad penny allus turns up.’

‘I feel so helpless. What can I do to stop Harold? I don’t know what he plans, or if his threats were real – no, that’s not true, I know they are, but who would believe us?’

‘I knaw. Well, all we can do is be careful, for a couple of days. Montel’s right. Harold can’t stick around up here much longer than that. And then Susan will . . . Oh, here’s Montel now.’