about Mr Guy you’ve come to see me, I must repeat that I’m not at liberty to divulge any details . . .’
‘No, no,’ said Lauren, nodding. ‘It’s actually about the library at de Courcey Hall.’
‘The library?’
‘Yes. Or, rather, the books in it. Guy told us that just before his father gave the house to the National Trust, he sold some of the books in the library.’
‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything about the sale of any of the contents of de Courcey Hall. Or, even, if any such sales took place. Client confidentiality, you understand.’
‘Yes, we understand that,’ said Lauren. ‘But it’s not the details of the sale, as far as it affects the de Courcey family, that we’re after. It’s a particular book we’re trying to trace.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes. Two books. The Journal of the Order of Malichea , and The Index of the same Order. We believe they were in the library of de Courcey Hall.’
Ainsworth shook his head.
‘I’m very sorry, but, as I said, due to client confidentiality I can’t give you any details of any items sold. However, I am still the solicitor for the estate. I will endeavour to contact the current earl and ask for his permission to speak to you.’
‘I don’t think Guy is in much of a position to talk freely at the moment,’ commented Jake with a sigh.
Ainsworth frowned.
‘Why do you say that?’ he asked.
Jake caught Lauren’s eye, and her slight but meaningful shake of the head, and her lips closing tightly.
Jake shrugged.
‘I just meant that I imagine he’s pretty busy at the moment. However, if you do talk to him, we would be grateful if you’d pass on our message.’
Outside on the street, Jake let out a heartfelt groan.
‘Well, that was a complete waste of time coming here!’ he sighed heavily. ‘We could have been told all that on the phone!’
‘Maybe not,’ said a voice behind him.
Jake and Lauren swung round, and came face to face with the girl who’d been arguing with the receptionist.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Jake.
‘Meaning I’m here,’ said the girl. ‘And if you want to know something about the de Courceys, then I’m your girl.’
Lauren frowned.
‘Who are you?’ she asked.
‘Gemma Hayward,’ said the girl. ‘My mum used to work for the de Courceys at the hall.’
‘And how do you think you can help us?’ asked Lauren guardedly.
The girl gave a sly grin.
‘Because you’re going to have a job trying to find out about that bunch of crooks from anyone else.’ She gave a sour face as she jerked her thumb at the door of the solicitors. ‘That lot, all the de Courceys’ high and mighty friends around here, they all stick together. But me,’ her face darkened, ‘I know what they’re really like. Me and my mum have been on the receiving end.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Lauren.
Gemma looked around, suspicious.
‘We can’t talk here,’ she said. ‘They might hear us, and the next second they’ll have me in court for slander or something, like that cow up there threatened.’
‘You really know the de Courceys?’ asked Jake, still feeling that this was just a wind-up of some sort.
‘Know them? Me and my mum lived with ’em!’ said Gemma. She gestured along the high street. ‘Look, if you want to buy me a coffee, I’ll tell you all about ’em.’
‘Why would you do that?’ asked Jake, puzzled.
‘Because if you’re asking about them, I reckon they’ve got something of yours, same way they’ve got something of ours. And maybe we can work together.’
‘Maybe we can.’ Lauren nodded. ‘So, where’s a good place for coffee in this town?’
Chapter 15
Jake and Lauren followed Gemma down the hill back into the new part of Sevenoaks. As they walked, they passed various coffee shops that looked inviting, but Gemma headed for a burger bar.
‘The coffee’s rubbish, but the fries are good,’ Gemma told them.
Jake left Lauren with Gemma while he went to the counter and
‘No, no,’ said Lauren, nodding. ‘It’s actually about the library at de Courcey Hall.’
‘The library?’
‘Yes. Or, rather, the books in it. Guy told us that just before his father gave the house to the National Trust, he sold some of the books in the library.’
‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything about the sale of any of the contents of de Courcey Hall. Or, even, if any such sales took place. Client confidentiality, you understand.’
‘Yes, we understand that,’ said Lauren. ‘But it’s not the details of the sale, as far as it affects the de Courcey family, that we’re after. It’s a particular book we’re trying to trace.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes. Two books. The Journal of the Order of Malichea , and The Index of the same Order. We believe they were in the library of de Courcey Hall.’
Ainsworth shook his head.
‘I’m very sorry, but, as I said, due to client confidentiality I can’t give you any details of any items sold. However, I am still the solicitor for the estate. I will endeavour to contact the current earl and ask for his permission to speak to you.’
‘I don’t think Guy is in much of a position to talk freely at the moment,’ commented Jake with a sigh.
Ainsworth frowned.
‘Why do you say that?’ he asked.
Jake caught Lauren’s eye, and her slight but meaningful shake of the head, and her lips closing tightly.
Jake shrugged.
‘I just meant that I imagine he’s pretty busy at the moment. However, if you do talk to him, we would be grateful if you’d pass on our message.’
Outside on the street, Jake let out a heartfelt groan.
‘Well, that was a complete waste of time coming here!’ he sighed heavily. ‘We could have been told all that on the phone!’
‘Maybe not,’ said a voice behind him.
Jake and Lauren swung round, and came face to face with the girl who’d been arguing with the receptionist.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Jake.
‘Meaning I’m here,’ said the girl. ‘And if you want to know something about the de Courceys, then I’m your girl.’
Lauren frowned.
‘Who are you?’ she asked.
‘Gemma Hayward,’ said the girl. ‘My mum used to work for the de Courceys at the hall.’
‘And how do you think you can help us?’ asked Lauren guardedly.
The girl gave a sly grin.
‘Because you’re going to have a job trying to find out about that bunch of crooks from anyone else.’ She gave a sour face as she jerked her thumb at the door of the solicitors. ‘That lot, all the de Courceys’ high and mighty friends around here, they all stick together. But me,’ her face darkened, ‘I know what they’re really like. Me and my mum have been on the receiving end.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Lauren.
Gemma looked around, suspicious.
‘We can’t talk here,’ she said. ‘They might hear us, and the next second they’ll have me in court for slander or something, like that cow up there threatened.’
‘You really know the de Courceys?’ asked Jake, still feeling that this was just a wind-up of some sort.
‘Know them? Me and my mum lived with ’em!’ said Gemma. She gestured along the high street. ‘Look, if you want to buy me a coffee, I’ll tell you all about ’em.’
‘Why would you do that?’ asked Jake, puzzled.
‘Because if you’re asking about them, I reckon they’ve got something of yours, same way they’ve got something of ours. And maybe we can work together.’
‘Maybe we can.’ Lauren nodded. ‘So, where’s a good place for coffee in this town?’
Chapter 15
Jake and Lauren followed Gemma down the hill back into the new part of Sevenoaks. As they walked, they passed various coffee shops that looked inviting, but Gemma headed for a burger bar.
‘The coffee’s rubbish, but the fries are good,’ Gemma told them.
Jake left Lauren with Gemma while he went to the counter and
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