‘Mr Josiah died a few years ago,’ said the receptionist. ‘But Mr John Pargeter – his nephew – took over his clients. I’ll put you through to him.’
John Pargeter expressed conventional regret at hearing of the death of a client and was slightly acquainted with the family details. ‘Although there hasn’t been a great deal to do on their behalf for some considerable time,’ he said. ‘With Miss Gilmore being elderly and so on. I don’t know about a next of kin, though. I’m not even sure if there is one. But I’ll look out the file and ring you back.’
‘Can it be this morning?’ asked Michael. ‘The hospital do need to have some details as soon as possible, and I’m hoping to leave later today.’
‘I should think so.’
Michael gave him the Fosse House number and also his mobile as back-up. After this, he rang the police station and was relieved to hear the tree was being cleared even as they spoke.
‘Give it a couple of hours,’ said the sergeant. ‘It should be fine by midday.’
This was all very satisfactory. Michael started to dial Nell’s number, then thought he had better keep both phones free for Mr Pargeter to call back. Also, Nell had mentioned meeting Owen at the Bodleian this morning, so she was likely to be out until at least lunchtime. He would wait until he knew what was happening, then he could tell her the whole story.
John Pargeter phoned back half an hour later. ‘We’ve found the Gilmore file,’ he said. ‘And, as I thought, there’s no known family. In fact this firm is named as executors.’ He hesitated, then said, ‘Dr Flint, I have no right to ask you this, but we would be extremely grateful if you could stay at Fosse House until we can get someone there.’
‘I don’t think that’s possible,’ began Michael. ‘I was hoping to leave quite soon—’
‘We’d hope to make it today, and it’s only about an hour’s drive from here. But I can’t promise we’ll manage it,’ said Pargeter. ‘There are several appointments with clients in my diary and my partner’s. But we do need to collect keys and assure ourselves that the place is secure, and – well, put the preliminary wheels in motion.’
Michael tried to think if there was any way of getting keys to Pargeter’s office in Walsham without remaining in the house – always supposing he could find keys in the first place. But before he could say anything, John Pargeter said, ‘There is another thing, Dr Flint.’
‘Yes?’
‘The main bequest in Miss Gilmore’s will is actually Oriel College’s Faculty of Music.’
Michael had not expected this. He said, ‘What kind of bequest? Or can’t you tell me?’
‘There’s no reason why you can’t know the general outline. She’s left what she calls the Palestrina papers to the college, and— Sorry, did you say something?’
‘That’s what I’ve been working on,’ said Michael. ‘They’re extremely interesting, those papers. I should think the Music Department would be over the moon to have them.’
‘Ah. Good. Well, now, she’s also left a very substantial sum of money – really a very substantial amount – to endow the college’s choral scholarship. Or even to create a new one if it’s thought possible and if Oriel wants to set one up.’
‘That’s immensely generous of her.’
‘The house will have to be sold to pay out, but we’ll deal with all that.’
‘Yes, I see,’ said Michael, rather blankly. And then he did see; he saw that this placed a degree of responsibility on him. He was not part of the Music Faculty, but for the moment he was probably Oriel’s representative, or the nearest thing to it. Because of the last two days, he could even be regarded as some kind of custodian or guardian of the Palestrina papers. A sly little voice in his mind reminded him that if he stayed in the house, he could make an open search for Stephen and Iskander.
To quell this last thought, he said, ‘I think I could stay at the house until you get here. I could book into the local pub and stay until tomorrow if necessary. That might be preferable. But there is another thing— It’s only a half-idea, and it might not be practical, or even ethical. But you mentioned selling the house. Presumably, you’ll have to sell its contents as well?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, then, my—’ He stopped.
‘Dr Flint? Are you still there?’
‘Yes, I’m here. My partner runs an antiques business in Oxford,’ said Michael firmly. ‘I’m not putting her forward for the appraisal of the furniture, and I’m certainly not touting for business on her behalf at any level. But there are a couple of things in Fosse House that I think ought to be looked at by experts. She might be able to point you in the right direction.’
‘What kind of things do you mean? Furniture? Silver?’
‘Well, there’s certainly some nice old furniture and probably silver and china stored away as well,’ said Michael. ‘But specifically there’s a sketch which I think might be what’s called a prisoner-of-war sketch. Done in one of the camps during the Great War. Apparently they can be quite valuable.’
‘Really? I don’t know much about that kind of thing,’ said Pargeter. ‘But if your – partner, did you say? – could spare the time to take a look—’
‘I can ask,’ said Michael, uncertain if Nell would want to become involved, or even if he would want her to be. ‘I don’t think it’s the kind of thing she would deal with herself – it’s a very specialist field, I believe. But she could probably recommend someone.’
‘I think we’d be very grateful for that,’ said Pargeter. ‘So I’ll find out what we can do about coming out to Fosse House – if I can do it myself, I will. I’ll call you back.’