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would finish reading the article then stop for the day before tension at the back of her neck turned into a headache.
    Because she was tired she nearly missed it. As the words registered she straightened in her chair and read the paragraph again.
    â€˜With the benefit of hindsight and the social changes brought about by war, situations that a decade ago were considered scandalous might be judged less harshly today. Miss Marigold Mitchell’s charity work has surely restored her reputation.’
    Before a reputation could be restored, it first had to be lost. What scandal had Marigold been involved in?
    It would take more time than she could spare to go back ten years in the archives then trawl through in hope of finding reports about whatever had happened.
    In 1940 Marigold Mitchell was the named tenant of the property. Widows had often inherited tenancies, especially if the property was a shop or business and the bereaved woman stepped into her late husband’s shoes to continue running it. But Marigold had been unmarried. She had no brothers and her father was dead. With no close male relative to co-sign and make the agreement legal, how had it come about? Surely such an arrangement would not have been common back then?
    She would have to visit the County Record Office, where the Chenhall family papers were stored.
    She couldn’t go until Colin Terrell had finished, and she was still waiting to hear from PC Davey. So she spent Wednesday catching up with chores she had neglected. Wanting to think about both investigations without being distracted, she chose some easy-listening music from the playlist on her iPhone and put her earbuds in.
    After chopping two more sacks of kindling, she brushed the small paved yard, watered her tomatoes in the tiny greenhouse, made coffee, and took out a mug and a slice of cake to Colin Terrell who wanted to chat. She excused herself, pleading a backlog of jobs, then cut the grass and hoed the narrow border beside the path.
    At 4.30 he called to her. ‘All finished. Want to come and have a look?’
    Taking off her gloves, Jess turned off the music and stuffed the tiny earbuds into her pocket. He was standing on the scaffold tower clearly waiting for her to join him.
    Instead Jess turned the ladder so it leaned against the cottage wall. ‘You’re used to that tower but I’ve never been on one and I’ll be able to see better from the ladder.’ She looked up under the slates and saw the felt overlapping the rear edge of the gutter. ‘It’s a very neat job, Mr Terrell.’
    â€˜I’m Colin to my friends.’
    â€˜That’s nice,’ Jess replied, refusing to be drawn.
    â€˜You won’t have no more trouble this side. But you might want to think about having the back done.’
    She nodded. ‘Maybe later in the year.’ She descended the ladder as he began dismantling the tower.
    â€˜If you see any sign of damp inside along that front wall in the next six months, you let me know and I’ll come back and fix it free of charge.’
    â€˜I didn’t expect that.’
    â€˜Happy customers bring more work. All mine comes by word of mouth. All right if I leave you a couple of cards?’
    Jess nodded and pulled off her muddy gloves. ‘If you’ve brought your invoice I’ll pay you now. Just give me a minute to wash my hands.’
    â€˜He’s in the van. I’ll bring ’n up once I’ve loaded the trailer. ’Tis the price we agreed. With £20 knocked off for cash.’ He winked.
    Twenty minutes later Jess counted the money out onto the table in front of him and he signed the account to say he’d received it.
    â€˜Thanks, Mr Terrell. I appreciate you coming so quickly.’
    â€˜If you want the back done before winter give me a bit of notice so I can put you in the book.’
    Jess nodded. ‘Thanks.’ She would need to save up first. Behind her the phone rang.
    He