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‘No,’ Bradaenuine eer, bitterness, and sheer thwarted curiosity ‘I was given the strong impression that it was better for me not to know’

Irene worked out times and dates in her head ‘Then, when you ht herself in tinment, this was after you’d discovered the book was a fake?’

‘It was,’ Bradaue sht that if I could intercept you on the way, then I could try to find the real book without your interference Pardon ’

‘Of course,’ Irene said blandly She was conscious of the three h anyhow?’

‘I had the advantage of already knowing this place,’ Bradamant said ‘I didn’t expect you to work as fast as you did’

Irene glanced round at the three men Somehow they shared a similar demeanour, whatever their reaction to this new information Perhaps it was a kind of aristocratic poise, an inbuilt certainty that the world was going to cooperate with their needs

She wished she shared it

‘Wyndham is the obvious candidate to have created the fake, since records show he had the original book,’ Vale said briskly ‘Inspector Singh, if you would – ’

‘Of course,’ Singh said He pulled a sheaf of papers froines at the Yard have tabulated records of Lord Wyndham’s last feeeks He only obtained the book two and a half weeks ago, at an auction of the late Mr Bonhoenuine by the auction house at the ti set on it’

Vale nodded ‘I h the solicitor that he employed We can be sure of his interest’

‘There were soh went on ‘This all resulted in the book being under tight guard So if he had the fake made, then it ithin that time period’