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‘This ame we play with this set,’ said Cornelius wistfully

‘No, don’t worry yourself about that,’ said Frank ‘They always allow you to keep a few personal items’

‘Not when they’re worth a quarter of a million pounds,’ replied Cornelius

‘I had no idea,’ said Frank, looking up

‘Because you’re not the sort of oods It’s a sixteenth-century Persian masterpiece, and it’s bound to cause considerable interest when it comes under the hammer’

‘But surely you’ve found out all you need to know by now,’ said Frank ‘Why carry on with the exercise when you could lose so much that’s dear to you?’

‘Because I still have to discover the truth’

Frank sighed, stared down at the board and ht ‘Check’

~

Cornelius spentdirector of Botts and Company, the local fine art and furniture auctioneers

Mr Botts had already agreed that the sale could take place in a fortnight’s tier period to prepare the catalogue and send out an extensivefor such a fine collection, but at least he showed soton found himself in Over the years, Lloyd’s of London, death duties and i bankruptcy had proved the auctioneer’s best friends

‘We will need to have everything in our storerooh ti the customers to view on three consecutive days before the sale takes place’

Cornelius nodded his agreement

The auctioneer also recoe be taken in the Chudley Advertiser the following Wednesday, giving details of as co under the hammer, so they could reach those people they failed to contact by post

Cornelius left Mr Botts a few minutes before midday, and on his way back to the bus stop dropped into the re the impression that it had taken him a few days to raise the cash