The woman shook her head.
“No one’s been over the place for a long time.”
“Thanks very much.”
They retraced their steps to the Moat House. As the front door swung back on its hinges, protesting loudly, Julius struck a match and examined the floor carefully. Then he shook his head.
“I’d swear no one’s passed this way. Look at the dust. Thick. Not a sign of a footmark.”
They wandered round the deserted house. Everywhere the same tale. Thick layers of dust apparently undisturbed.
“This gets me,” said Julius. “I don’t believe Tuppence was ever in this house.”
“She must have been.”
Julius shook his head without replying.
“We’ll go over it again tomorrow,” said Tommy. “Perhaps we’ll see more in the daylight.”
On the morrow they took up the search once more, and were reluctantly forced to the conclusion that the house had not been invaded for some considerable time. They might have left the village altogether but for a fortunate discovery of Tommy’s. As they were retracing their steps to the gate, he gave a sudden cry, and stooping, picked something up from among the leaves, and held it out to Julius. It was a small gold brooch.
“That’s Tuppence’s!”
“Are you sure?”