Kier stood up. ‘She has ruined my career.’ He took a deep breath and walked over to the window. On this side of the house the view was across the lawn. There was already a sprinkling of pale leaves under the walnut tree. ‘That in itself is enough to upset me, although I feel sure I will be cleared of any accusations she might have made and any actions I took towards her will be vindicated, but my primary concern, as of course is yours, is with Abi’s welfare. I think she’s in great danger.’

‘Please, sit down, Mr Scott,’ Ben said. He waited while Kier returned to his chair. ‘Can you tell me what sort of danger?’

‘She has a tendency to meddle with psychic phenomena as I am sure you are aware. I rather foolishly accused her of resorting to witchcraft.’ He gave a short harsh laugh. ‘I didn’t mean it literally, but the word frightened her enough for her to go running to the bishop to make another complaint against me. Women are very sensitive to accusations of witchcraft – I am sure you have come across this yourself. They find it deeply offensive. They think it is part of some male plot against them. They equate it with a criticism of feminism. What I witnessed though was something that filled me with horror and I didn’t know what else to call it. She summoned ghostly figures into my church and she appeared not only to condone their presence there but also to enjoy their company.’

Ben stared at him incredulously. ‘What do you mean, enjoy their company?’

‘She said they sang beautifully.’

‘That’s all? She heard them singing.’

‘Isn’t it enough?’

Ben looked down at his hands. Kier’s description had for a moment conjured up a very much less than holy image reminiscent of some medieval picture of a Satanic bacchanal. He restrained a smile. ‘Forgive me asking, but when you say she summoned these figures do you mean she performed some kind of ritual or are we talking about a haunted church and someone with the sensitivity to see the ghosts that frequent it.’

Kier stared at him and for a moment seemed incapable of speech. ‘You talk as though hauntings were usual!’ he said at last.

‘In my experience they are.’

‘Don’t tell me you’re an exorcist!’ Kier’s face registered deep disgust. His colour had risen and Ben noted the sweat appearing on his forehead. The man was under enormous stress.

Ben shook his head. ‘On the contrary, I find a gentle and persuasive attitude to unhappy spirits, and the offer of prayer is usually enough. I take it Abi did not feel these entities were unhappy if they were singing.’ He levered himself out of his chair. ‘I am sorry Mr Scott but I do feel that it is inappropriate that we should be talking like this. In my opinion Abi and you need some time apart. You have had an unfortunate conflict of personalities and ideologies, as far as I can see, and I truly feel it is no more than that, but a time of reflection would seem to be a good thing for you both.’

Kier leaned back in his chair and reached for his tea cup. ‘Very probably, but first I need to talk to her. I shall go over there later and have a word.’

‘You know where she is?’ Ben was alarmed.

‘Of course I know where she is. You think her own father wouldn’t know her address? He agrees with me. This has to be sorted out. Bishop David has a lot to answer for! He cannot hide her from the two men who probably care most for her in the entire world.’

Ben sat down again, trying to school his face to impassivity. ‘May I ask what exactly it is you need to say to her?’

‘That is not your business.’

‘Forgive me, but I think it is. I am, as I have already told you her spiritual director. If you are going to say anything which is going to upset her, then I would like to know about it beforehand as I will have to pick up the pieces.’ Ben’s voice, though still quiet, had gained in emphasis. ‘I can’t allow you to undo all the good her time down here has achieved and is achieving.’

‘I am sure what I have to say will only be of use to her. I am as concerned for the welfare of her soul as you are.’ Kier drank his tea and put down the cup with some force, rattling the small silver spoon in the saucer. Then he stood up. ‘I will leave you now. I can see you have been drawn in by her charm and her plausibility just as I was. More fool you, if I may say so. I suggest you pray for guidance, because you will need something to sustain you when this all kicks off.’

He strode towards the door and pulled it open. ‘I am sure we will meet again soon.’

Janet was in the hall, putting fresh water into a vase of flowers on the hall stand. She jumped out of his way as he strode towards the door. In moments he was climbing back into his car.

She went back into the sitting room where Ben was already on the phone. ‘Cal, warn Abi that Kieran is on his way over. Get her out of the way. Tell her to hide in the attic. Whatever, just don’t let her speak to him. The man is a complete nightmare!’

Slamming down the receiver he turned to Janet with a groan. ‘What have we got involved in! You heard all that, I assume?’

She nodded. ‘Rude, spiteful and malicious. I am beginning to think that Abi needs to be very careful indeed.’

‘Where do you think she is?’ Cal was standing at the study window with Mat at her side, staring out across the gravel towards the road. There was no sign of Abi’s car.

He shrugged. ‘Is it worth me driving around a bit to try and find her? She was going into Glastonbury, you said.’

Cal nodded. ‘I think so. There’s no point in you going out after her. She could be anywhere. I just assumed she would be back for lunch. She’s been ages.’

‘She probably forgot the time. She is getting a bit obsessed, you must admit. What do we do when this chap turns up?’

Cal scratched the end of her nose thoughtfully. ‘We tell him she’s not here. We ask him where he is staying and take his phone number and very politely say that we will ask her to get in touch with him.’

‘And what if he refuses to go?’

She sighed. ‘I might have to get rough!’

Mat gave an affectionate chortle. He dropped a kiss on his wife’s head – she was at least a foot shorter than him. ‘I’d better hang around then. Be ready to pick up the pieces.’

‘You do that.’

They stood for a moment in silence, then Cal turned away from the window. ‘Come on. We don’t want him to catch us waiting for him.’

Kier arrived half an hour later. Opening the front door, flanked by barking dogs, Mat noted the silver Audi, then the sturdy, good-looking man striding towards the door. He exuded an air of slightly pugnacious determination.

‘Can I help you?’ Ordering the dogs to be quiet he put on his best, mild-mannered face. The dogs were not so polite. He could sense them bristling with disapproval.

Kier held out his hand and introduced himself. ‘I need to see Abi quite urgently. I am sorry not to have rung ahead.’

Mat grimaced. ‘Perhaps it would have been better if you had. I’m afraid she is out for the day.’ He was praying she wouldn’t choose that moment to drive in.

‘I see.’ Kier studied his face with care, obviously wondering whether to believe him and, in response to the man’s air of cynical superiority, Mat felt his own hackles rising to match the dogs’.

Cal’s voice from behind him reminded him of the agreed plan. ‘Perhaps Mr Scott would like to give us his address, then we can get Abi to contact him when she comes back.’ She manoeuvred herself in front of him slightly and looked up at Kier with a flinty expression that Mat knew well. People didn’t usually argue with it.

‘I thought I might come in and wait.’ Kier took a step forward. ‘If you wouldn’t mind. I shan’t get in your way.’

A throaty growl from Thiz stopped him in his tracks as he took a step into the hall.

‘I am so sorry, but we were just going out.’ Cal smiled at him. ‘It’s really not a good time.’ She folded her arms.

For a moment Mat thought he was going to argue, but Kier thought better of it. He shrugged and inclined his head graciously. ‘Of course. It was thoughtless of me to come unannounced like this. I’ll look in some other time, if I may. I don’t know where I shall be staying yet. I’ll go and check in somewhere and perhaps try and ring Abi then. And if you could ask her in the meantime to contact me. She knows my mobile number.’

They watched as he slid back into the car.

‘Please don’t let her turn in at this moment,’ Cal murmured as they retreated into the house and closed the door.

They waited, holding their breath, listening to the sound of the car tyres as he reversed and swung round. From the study window they watched him drive to the gate, indicate right, towards Wells, and disappear down the road.

‘Call Abi now,’ Mat said under his breath.

‘I’ve tried. Her phone is switched off.’

He shook his head. ‘Then all we can do is hope she is tucked away somewhere safe where he won’t spot her.’

Abi was sitting in the chair which Kier had vacated some two hours before, in front of Ben’s sitting room fire. ‘Ben, I’ve got to talk to you. I’ve got to tell you something -’ She broke off as Ben raised his hands as though warding off a stampeding horse. ‘What is it? What’s happened?’

‘Kier was here.’

‘Kier?’ Her face registered incomprehension. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, he was here. He was going straight over to Woodley.’

‘I should have guessed he would come.’ She slumped back in the chair.

‘So you knew he’d found out where you were?’ Ben cleared his throat.

‘My father told him.’

‘May I ask how your father knew?’

She shrugged. ‘Not from Bishop David. I think someone in the diocesan office probably didn’t realise it was supposed to be confidential.’ She fixed her gaze on the carpet. ‘What did he say?’