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‘I thought they were safe I truly thought they were’ She wrapped her arbert had practised one last deceit on her ‘I stored everything that was precious to ht if the worst happened and we burned to the ground It was all in vain’

‘Who else knew?’ His hard voice broke through her misery ‘Who else knew about the cavity? Were you the only one? Did you have help to fill it?’

‘I presubert must have known My father made sure he knew all of the hall’s secrets But I neverin there until after he left’ She put her hand to her head, trying to think ‘It was so passed from father to son My father only told me because he had no son’

‘It is a mystery then, but I will sherever you want that the cavity only held that cup when I first opened it’

‘He could have returned,’ Edith said slowly ‘It is unlikely, but it could have happened About a week after Egbert left, Godwin told ht it was a story, but I did arrange for that tunnel to be blocked’

‘Godwin sees much You should have checked your hidden wealth at the time’

She sank down on a stone bench ‘It is not so ed to enerations It was ive the, no matter how small’

He dug his hand into his pouch and held out the circlet of keys ‘I wronged you before You should wear these while you re after this house than I could ever be’

Edith stared at the circlet without taking theht never e Would he do that if he knehere she’d been? ‘My mother always held the keys’

‘Take them’ He placed them in her palm ‘Unless there is some reason you can’t’

She traced the e hare that adorned the circlet, torn She couldn’t confess now She’d give Athelstan more time to recover It hat her mother would have done ‘You can see ive you back the keys’

‘I trust you, Edith’

Edith sed hard ‘I will endeavour to live up to that trust’