It had been a sticky meal all round and now my cousin’s wife SB was bringing a tray of red jellies out of the fridge. Meanwhile her daughter PB was ruining a pale leather jewellery box as she poked it with her grubby little paws.

I pick up the toddler and took her into my bedroom to show her my wooden – and less destructible – jewellery box.

When I reached my dressing table, however, I was alarmed to discover that the lid was off my jewellery box and that it was completely empty of its rare and valuable contents. How long ago had we been burgled, and why had we not noticed this until now?