Elinor spoke as if in answer to her thoughts. ‘Very supportive of my work.’ She paused. ‘But I have to say, I don’t
trust him an inch. He’s completely ruthless. Incredibly ambitious. Couldn’t you see that, when you met him?’
Jess shrugged non-committally, although she knew what Elinor meant. Blake was an alpha male, no doubt about it: good-looking, confident, and with a general air of entitlement. But that
didn’t necessarily make him ruthless.
Elinor lowered her voice, although there was no one in the vicinity. ‘I think he paid someone to come in and steal my painting. Had my mother not been there, it would have been an easy
job. The place wasn’t alarmed, he knew that, and the lock on the door was a cinch to pick – the police told me. I expect he thought his hired hand could slip in, nick it, and slip out
again without too much trouble.’ She paused. ‘But then Ma caught the thief red-handed, and he panicked. That’s where it all went wrong.’
Jess was taken aback. ‘This is quite a serious allegation, Elinor. Don’t you think you should talk to DS Bonetti?’
‘I don’t know.’ She paused. ‘Isobel would be furious with me if I did. And I can’t be sure, of course. But I wouldn’t put it past him. After all, it would be
easy enough for him to get rid of a Gwen John – he’s got connections all over the world. There are lots of collectors who buy stolen work and keep it for private viewing.’
Jess was silent, unsure what to say. She wondered whether Elinor was slipping into paranoia, or whether she really did have cause to suspect her brother-in-law of setting up the break-in. If the
latter were the case, she really ought to persuade her to talk to Bonetti. But for now, it was unclear whether Elinor’s suspicions had any basis in reality. She’d have to wait and see
what transpired.
‘The other thing is, he doesn’t like me being in therapy. Not one little bit.’ Elinor lowered her voice again. ‘He’s been trying to stop me coming, actually. I
think he’s worried about what I might be telling you here. About him.’
Jess remembered the colour draining from Blake’s face when they were introduced, and his hand going limp in hers.
‘Well, he’s not in a position to tell you what to do, is he?’
Elinor didn’t reply.
Jess tried again. ‘Do you want to continue therapy?’
Elinor nodded. ‘Very much so, in the long term.’ She gave a sigh. ‘But right now, I think I need a break. It’s all getting too much for me. I need to get away from
Cardiff. From him. From Isobel too, actually. And that bloody policewoman.’
There was a silence. They both looked out at the river again.
‘There’s this place I know, up in the Black Mountains.’ Elinor’s voice dropped. She seemed almost to be talking to herself. ‘It’s right in the middle of
nowhere, very wild. I thought I might go up and camp there for a little while.’
Jess was alarmed. Elinor appeared to be in such a fragile state of mind. And the weather was so cold. She seemed barely capable of dressing herself properly for a chilly day in the city, let
alone a night outdoors on a windy Welsh mountainside.
‘Don’t you think it’ll be a bit nippy for camping?’ Jess did her best not to show her consternation, though inwardly she was beginning to doubt Elinor’s sanity.
‘I’ve done it before at this time of year. There are a few farms around, barns I can sleep in. It won’t be a problem.’
‘But won’t you be lonely on your own?’
‘Of course not. That’s why I’m going there. To be on my own. I like it.’
‘So whereabouts do you camp?’ Jess didn’t want to pry, but she felt genuinely concerned for Elinor’s safety.
‘Cwm Du.’ Elinor’s voice was almost a whisper, as if she were giving away a secret. ‘It’s not far away. It just seems it.’
Jess had heard of Cwm Du. Black Valley, in English. She’d never been there, but she’d heard it was wild, beautiful, and
trust him an inch. He’s completely ruthless. Incredibly ambitious. Couldn’t you see that, when you met him?’
Jess shrugged non-committally, although she knew what Elinor meant. Blake was an alpha male, no doubt about it: good-looking, confident, and with a general air of entitlement. But that
didn’t necessarily make him ruthless.
Elinor lowered her voice, although there was no one in the vicinity. ‘I think he paid someone to come in and steal my painting. Had my mother not been there, it would have been an easy
job. The place wasn’t alarmed, he knew that, and the lock on the door was a cinch to pick – the police told me. I expect he thought his hired hand could slip in, nick it, and slip out
again without too much trouble.’ She paused. ‘But then Ma caught the thief red-handed, and he panicked. That’s where it all went wrong.’
Jess was taken aback. ‘This is quite a serious allegation, Elinor. Don’t you think you should talk to DS Bonetti?’
‘I don’t know.’ She paused. ‘Isobel would be furious with me if I did. And I can’t be sure, of course. But I wouldn’t put it past him. After all, it would be
easy enough for him to get rid of a Gwen John – he’s got connections all over the world. There are lots of collectors who buy stolen work and keep it for private viewing.’
Jess was silent, unsure what to say. She wondered whether Elinor was slipping into paranoia, or whether she really did have cause to suspect her brother-in-law of setting up the break-in. If the
latter were the case, she really ought to persuade her to talk to Bonetti. But for now, it was unclear whether Elinor’s suspicions had any basis in reality. She’d have to wait and see
what transpired.
‘The other thing is, he doesn’t like me being in therapy. Not one little bit.’ Elinor lowered her voice again. ‘He’s been trying to stop me coming, actually. I
think he’s worried about what I might be telling you here. About him.’
Jess remembered the colour draining from Blake’s face when they were introduced, and his hand going limp in hers.
‘Well, he’s not in a position to tell you what to do, is he?’
Elinor didn’t reply.
Jess tried again. ‘Do you want to continue therapy?’
Elinor nodded. ‘Very much so, in the long term.’ She gave a sigh. ‘But right now, I think I need a break. It’s all getting too much for me. I need to get away from
Cardiff. From him. From Isobel too, actually. And that bloody policewoman.’
There was a silence. They both looked out at the river again.
‘There’s this place I know, up in the Black Mountains.’ Elinor’s voice dropped. She seemed almost to be talking to herself. ‘It’s right in the middle of
nowhere, very wild. I thought I might go up and camp there for a little while.’
Jess was alarmed. Elinor appeared to be in such a fragile state of mind. And the weather was so cold. She seemed barely capable of dressing herself properly for a chilly day in the city, let
alone a night outdoors on a windy Welsh mountainside.
‘Don’t you think it’ll be a bit nippy for camping?’ Jess did her best not to show her consternation, though inwardly she was beginning to doubt Elinor’s sanity.
‘I’ve done it before at this time of year. There are a few farms around, barns I can sleep in. It won’t be a problem.’
‘But won’t you be lonely on your own?’
‘Of course not. That’s why I’m going there. To be on my own. I like it.’
‘So whereabouts do you camp?’ Jess didn’t want to pry, but she felt genuinely concerned for Elinor’s safety.
‘Cwm Du.’ Elinor’s voice was almost a whisper, as if she were giving away a secret. ‘It’s not far away. It just seems it.’
Jess had heard of Cwm Du. Black Valley, in English. She’d never been there, but she’d heard it was wild, beautiful, and
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