was doing it, the more she realised that he assumed that she was so careless with her inherited good fortune she would never notice the loss and he disdained both her and her way of life.
She first realised that he was pilfering after his second or was it his third visit, when she noticed that one of the Georgian silver napkin rings was missing. For a moment she thought it might have rolled off the table when she removed the cloth or that she might have put it aside for polishing, but she noted its absence and when, after a further visit, she realised that the sweet little owl pincushion Mama had always used for her needlepoint had disappeared from its usual place on the marquetry work table, she began to wonder. Then she smiled to herself. I can play that game too. But I won’t let him have the best pieces.
She tucked her most valuable pieces of jewellery under the floorboards in the long cupboard beside the bedroom fireplace and Papa’s netsuke collection remained locked in a cabinet. The silver cow creamers she hid at the back of the sideboard, but she didn’t concern herself with the silver cutlery; he saw her count the knives and forks out and count them back in again into their boxwood canteen. If he took a silver teaspoon or two, or maybe a little piece of Staffordshire, she didn’t care. She’d note it, add it to her list of his misdemeanours, and it would strengthen her resolve to deal with him when the time was right.
‘Weren’t there any cyclists or horse riders around today?’ she said as she walked back to the oven to check the temperature for her Yorkshire puddings. ‘There’s usually a few of them around on a fine Sunday morning like this.’
‘No, not a single one today. I was the only human being out and about.’
He put his cup down, then tapped the reports in their glossy folders. ‘I had no idea you had so many antiques and valuables stowed away here. Are you sure you feel quite safe here, all on your own?’
‘I always have done, so far. Don’t you think I should be?’
‘Look, I’m not trying to make you feel unsettled, but I’m very concerned for you being here alone all the time, with so much in the house.’ He picked up one of the reports, turned the pages and said, ‘Your jewellery alone is worth thousands. You’d be such an easy target. You should at least have a safe for that.’
What, store all my valuables in one place, just so you could take your pick? She stood with her back to him, whipping the batter. ‘I’m very careful about locking up the house at night, and when I go out too. And I do have a burglar alarm.’
‘Just as well. That should put off the casual intruders at least, but if anyone really wanted to break in, that’s not going to stop them. They can see there’s no one within earshot around here. They’d be long gone before the police ever turned up.’
‘But I do have a gun, as well.’
He laughed, not joyfully, but in a short derisive burst, and said, ‘Well, that’s all right then! Might get you into hot water though if you go firing it off at all and sundry. There have been a couple of cases of owners being charged for assault on burglars.’
‘Oh, I would be very careful. I was trained properly in the ATS and anyway, I’ve handled a gun since I was very young, for pheasants and that sort of thing.’
‘Pheasants and people are a whole different kettle of fish.’ He sipped his coffee, looking at her over the top of his cup, then said, ‘I have a vague memory of you now. I didn’t at first, but some of it is gradually come back to me. You were that timid little thing at Bad Nenndorf, weren’t you? I couldn’t quite place you at first, but now I think I remember. You didn’t stay very long, did you?’
‘I moved on after a short while. It didn’t really suit me. I could see I’d be more use elsewhere.’ And I’ve been wondering when you’d remember and how much. Evelyn glanced at the knife rack next to the Aga. All the blades were freshly sharpened. She didn’t want to have to abandon the plan she’d laid so carefully, but she’d have to see how this conversation developed.
He pointed at her. ‘Yes, I’ve