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He began to close the door and, uncharacteristically, Tom felt a rush of anger at being dismissed with such disdain. This was how they’d likely treated his mother. ‘Wait up, mate. You’re being rude. I’ve travelled a long way to come here.’
‘I don’t care where you hail from, you country bumpkin. Please leave or I’ll have to call the police.’
Tom laughed. ‘For what reason? Knocking on your fancy door?’
‘Trespassing. Go on now, bugger off. Knock on another door.’
Tom’s gaze narrowed and this time when the man started to close the door, he stuck his foot firmly in the way. ‘Not so fast, Mr Darnell. You are Darnell, right?’
Tom saw the flash of surprise in the man’s eyes and then his gaze clouded quickly into suspicion. ‘What if I am?’
‘I’m Tom Catchlove – but you and your family might understand quicker if I used the surname of Wintrow.’
Now the eyes widened, but before Darnell could speak, a pale-faced woman with thick, dark hair cut fashionably short sidled up behind him. ‘Who is it, Father?’
‘Er, it’s no one, dear.’
‘I remember you!’ Tom said. ‘You’re the girl at the window.’
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At Tom’s words, the dark-haired woman took a step back from the door. ‘Pardon me?’
‘Emily, go back into the drawing room, please,’ Darnell said. ‘I’ll deal with this.’
‘Yes, that’s right, I think you may be my cousin,’ Tom continued, ignoring the snub and the person who gave it; his anger fuelled his confidence. ‘My mother was Moira Wintrow.’
Emily gasped. ‘Aunt Moira? I went to her funeral many years ago.’
‘Well, I didn’t. I wasn’t allowed.’
‘Look, what do you want?’ Darnell asked, the tetchiness gone and swiftly replaced by open hostility.
‘I wish to speak with Mrs Darnell, please.’
‘Well, my wife doesn’t wish to speak with you, Catchlove. She didn’t want you in the house all those years ago and I doubt her perspective has changed.’
Tom shook his head with both disbelief and amusement. ‘You really are the most awful people. I’d hoped it was just childish memories but no, you’re every inch as ghastly as I recall.’
‘Father! Please invite Tom in. If he is my cousin, let us at least hear what he has to say.’ Emily turned to Tom. ‘You’re surely here for a reason.’
‘I am. And it won’t take long. I just need some information.’
‘There you are, Father – nothing too hard about that. Come in, Tom. I’ll fetch my mother. She’s hardly busy, she’s reading.’
Reluctantly, Darnell stepped aside. ‘Well, my daughter seems to want to make you welcome, Catchlove, so you might as well come in briefly and not keep the doorway looking untidy.’
‘As I said, Mr Darnell, you’re pretty bloody awful folk – apart from your daughter – so I promise not stay longer than I have to.’
‘Through there, Catchlove. Try not to touch anything.’
‘Steal, you mean?’
‘That too. You could be down on your luck and here to extort money from us, for all I know.’
‘I could be, yes,’ Tom said and he liked how that made Darnell blink. ‘This is a very nice house you have here, Mr Darnell.’
‘It belongs to my wife.’
