The Secrets of Saffron Hall

‘We’ll see. I only agreed to please Jonathan. Anyway, come and sit in my chair and let me show you what was in that package that Pete found up in the tower. This is really exciting.’

Jumping to her feet, she held the chair still with both hands, bracing her hip against it while he carefully sat down. He rested his hands on the desk and peered at the book on the cradle.

‘A genuine, perfectly preserved book of hours. Not a Voynich – I think it’s later than that although it’s hand-scribed not printed. But the best part is that it’s also been used as a journal. There are some dates of birth in the frontispiece but here, four pages in, is the recording of the owner Eleanor’s marriage to a certain Greville Lutton. Isn’t it amazing? How come it was up in the tower? Do you suppose it’s been here all the time? Do you know who the Luttons were? Surely someone has been up there and would have found it before now.’

Grandad shook his head slowly. ‘I’d forgotten about Pete finding that package. How amazing. I’ve told you before that there’s always been a family suspicion about the tower. I always thought that was tosh. My father told me nobody should ever try to go up the tower, that it may be haunted, or cursed. Not of course that his warning stopped me.’ He chuckled. ‘When I was a teenager I made a concerted effort to find the key. Some friends came back from school to stay over and we ransacked the house trying to work out a way of getting up there. A dare, I suppose it was, but when my father discovered what we were up to, he went absolutely crazy. I’d never seen him so angry. I’ve never felt the desire to go up there again; he put the fear of God into me. It seems that the tales were correct, although I doubt the book is cursed.’

‘Of course it isn’t. And really it should be in a museum. We can donate it to the Fitzwilliam when we’re ready, but do you mind if I carry out some research first? I’m wondering what sort of connection, if any, it has with our family. I know Saffron Hall has been in the family for a long time, but I didn’t think we’d been living here as far back as this book dates to.’

‘I don’t have an issue with you investigating it. I haven’t seen you so animated since …’ he paused ‘… since you came to stay. But make sure it’s kept in the safe.’

Amber agreed, helping him to his feet and offering to heat some soup for lunch. After carefully wrapping the book in its frayed shroud, she locked it away.

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