A question of trust

1. Had good reputation in society.

2. Fifty years old.

3. Suffered from hay fever

4. Lock-maker

5. Not completely honest.

6. Unusual hobby - Collecting rare and expensive books.

7. ​Robbed safes

8. Sent to prison fifteen years ago.

​Horace Danby

1. At Shotover Grange.

2. He was sure he would be successful

3. He carefully studied the house for two weeks

4. He knew that the family had gone to London and the servants were going for a movie.

​The target safe

1. In the drawing room behind a poor painting

2. Knew detailed description of the house from a magazine

3. Knew the safe was connected to a poorly built burglar alarm.

4. He went to cut its wire.

1. A bowl of flowers hinders his work.

2. Horace met a young and pretty lady

3. The lady of the house

1. The lady puts a condition in front of Horace to let him go.

2. Take the jewels to the bank but forgot

3. Wanted them for a party but forgot the combination

4. Asked him to open the safe for her

5. Horace agreed

1. He was arrested after two days

2. His fingerprints were found all over the safe as he had opened the safe without gloves

3. He told the Police about the lady

4. The owner was an old lady of sixty years

5. Horace realizes the pretty young woman was also a jewel thief who manipulated him

6. He became an assistant librarian in prison and thought about the lady who broke the honour among thieves.

1. What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is wrong?

2. “Horace Danby was good and respectable − but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorized as a typical thief?

3. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?