‘You make her sound like a starving hedgehog. She wasn’t a bit like that,’ Orlando objected.

‘But here’s the bit that impresses me: the Englishman knows, because she tells him, or it’s becoming obvious, that she’s pregnant. And he takes her home with him regardless and cares for her. And the unknown man’s child.’

Orlando stirred uncomfortably, then nodded.

‘I know this child was born—because she’s been so obliging as to write it in my birthday book—in January 1912. So, her mother got pregnant in May or June at the latest of the previous year. She must have been aware of her condition by the time she met you, and, indeed, this was most likely the reason for her being thrown out of the family home.’

‘You have it right,’ said Orlando dully. ‘Dorcas is not my natural daughter. I have no idea who her father was—some village boy, I expect, or a sweet-talking travelling salesman—isn’t that whom they always blame? But it makes no difference. No difference at all. She’s my daughter. I love her more than most fathers can be bothered to love their daughters. And, I’ll tell you something, Joe—if you ever breathe a word of this to her, I’ll … I’ll make your life hell! I’m not a vengeful man but I really think I might kill anyone who threatened my relationship with my children. Any one of them. And Dorcas is my eldest. Got that?’

‘I have indeed. Understood. I could never think of her as anything else. But, Orlando, I work faster and dig deeper than you give me credit for. Look, old man, and tell me at once if you want to shut down this conversation, I think I do know who the father was. If you want to hear—it’s up to you …’

Orlando considered for a moment then nodded. ‘It might help. Not knowing is always worse than knowing.’

‘Well, he lived in the village as you might expect but he wasn’t the “village boy” you have supposed. He was young, handsome, intelligent, educated and something of a musician.’

‘All that?’ said Orlando. ‘Well, no wonder I failed to impress!’

‘He was also—a priest.’

‘Good God! Not … not …?’

‘Yes. Father Ignace who sounds as old as the hills was, in fact, only twenty-nine on the day he disappeared from the village. The same day Laure went missing. Except that she’s really Marie-Jeanne Durand.’

‘Oh, my poor, poor girl!’ Orlando shook his head in sorrow. ‘No wonder she could never tell me. The shame! She was genuinely a religious person, you know, from a devout family. It must have broken her heart and wrecked several lives. And I was always second best. She never quite managed to love me. She would never want to see me again.’

There was an uncomfortable moment as Orlando pondered and then he repeated: ‘Please, Joe—no further. Promise? For Dorcas. She lost her mother years ago. I don’t want her now to lose her father. Me, I mean. You know what she’s like! If she knew the truth, she might take it into her head to skip off and go hunting down this mystery man. I couldn’t bear to lose her. She must never be told.’

‘I understand perfectly. Her uncle Joe wouldn’t want to lose her either,’ he said more cheerfully, getting to his feet. ‘No further action on this front, eh?’

The two men shook hands solemnly.

Joe found his step was sprightlier, his breathing freer, a load of responsibility off his back, as he continued his interrupted path to the hall.

He needed all his new-found buoyancy to confront the mob.

He was greeted by a crashing wave of outrage. Suitcases had been packed, wristwatches were being ostentatiously consulted. Deadlines were being delivered.

‘No right to keep us here!’ Padraic Connell was standing by the door lamenting, ready for the off, pack on back. ‘I’m expected at the abbey.’

‘No right at all! The British consul must be informed!’ boomed Petrovsky. ‘I demand the return of our passports!’

‘We’re leaving this afternoon for Avignon,’ announced Mrs Whittlesford, slipping on her gloves to underline her message.

‘We sent a servant into the village with a note.’ Derek’s voice was triumphant. ‘We’ve hired the charabanc. Anyone who wants to can climb aboard. It’ll be here in two hours.’

‘Stupid bugger!’ said Fenton. ‘You shouldn’t have told him. He’s hand in glove with the frogs! Now he’ll ring and cancel it.’

‘If Jacquemin needs to know anything more he’s going to have to ask quickly. We’ve all suffered enough.’

‘Dashed if we’re spending another night under this roof!’

‘Just waiting to be picked off! First it was Freddie, then it was Cecily. She’s in a frightful state.’

‘She has no cause to be,’ Joe said. ‘She’s not been arrested. She was merely helping by giving information. I’ll have a word with her.’

Someone pointed to a gesticulating figure enjoying the attention of a small audience. He made his way over and, smiling, asked her to step aside with him.

‘Better for all, I think, Miss Somerset, if you stop stirring up dissent in the ranks. It’s an arrestable offence in France.’

Caught in the act, Cecily hurried to comply.

‘Now, can you tell me if Dorcas is here? Or Jane Makepeace—she’ll do. I’d like to have a word with either of them.’

‘I haven’t seen Dorcas since yesterday and Jane …’ She looked about her. ‘She seems to have been accorded special permission to come and go as she pleases. She’s appointed herself go-between for the guests and de Pacy. She was here before you called me in for interrogation. Can’t see her now.’

Joe cursed under his breath and began to look about him wildly.

‘Oh! Speak of the devil—here they come,’ said Cecily pointing to the door. ‘Your two birds together! I wonder what they’re hatching.’

Joe turned on his heel and hurried towards them. ‘Miss Makepeace,’ he said pleasantly, ‘I was looking for you. Hoping you can do something for me. Could you possibly establish a little calm around here? It’s all getting out of hand. Perhaps if you were to announce that everyone must stay here in the hall and be ready to hear a statement from the French police concerning their plans for departure, they might settle down.’

Jane smiled her understanding and began to clap her hands for attention.

‘Dorcas, with me. Outside,’ Joe muttered, pushing her back though the door.

‘Well? Did you get what I sent you for?’

‘No. It wasn’t there.’ She spoke quietly as they hurried along the corridor back to the office. ‘I looked carefully but I knew it was a waste of time. I mean, this killer isn’t going to leave evidence like that just lying about. Luckily for you I’d guessed why you wanted it so badly and how it had been disposed of. I was caught in the act though! Jane Makepeace came in while I was standing in the middle of the dormitory wondering what to do next.’

‘What did you do, Dorcas?’

‘What I always do. Made up a story. I pretended I was just beginning my search not ending it and asked her if she could point out Estelle’s drawers. I wanted to return a bracelet she’d lent me and didn’t quite know where to put it. I took it off my arm as I spoke. She recognized it. It actually was Estelle’s, you know.’ Dorcas produced a slim rope of coral beads on a string from her pocket. ‘I think it was convincing. Jane showed me Estelle’s empty drawers. The police, she said, had been in and taken all her things away. They’d been packed up in her suitcase for sending back to England. And then she told me—very kindly, I thought—that the beads were supposed to be a good luck charm. Estelle had clearly given her good luck away with the bracelet and she thought Estelle would want me to keep it. Don’t go bothering the Commissaire with a little thing like that, was her advice.’

Dorcas slipped the bracelet back around her wrist. ‘Just in case,’ she said. ‘But that certainly tells us where the thing you’re looking for fetched up, doesn’t it?’

‘Tell this to Jacquemin, will you?’ said Joe grimly.