A Question of Trust Class 10: Summary, Themes and Characters
Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked
A Question of Trust is a short story by Victor Canning in Footprints without Feet. Horace Danby, a respectable lock-maker who robs one safe a year to buy rare books, is tricked by a clever young woman into opening a safe for her. He lands in prison. The board asks 3-mark and 6-mark answers on it.
What A Question of Trust is about
A Question of Trust is a short story by Victor Canning, Chapter 4 of your supplementary reader Footprints without Feet. In one line: a careful, respectable thief is outwitted by a smarter thief and ends up in prison for a robbery he did not complete himself.
In the board paper this chapter has no extract question. It comes in Section C as a short answer of 40-50 words for 3 marks (Q9, where you answer two of three questions from this book), or as a long answer of about 100-120 words for 6 marks (Q11, one of two). Long answers test the plot, theme, character sketch, inference or extrapolation, so you need both the events and the ideas behind them.
In real board papers: asked in 3 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 0.9 marks per paper. See the questions
A Question of Trust: summary
In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.
A respectable man with a secret. Everyone believes Horace Danby is a good, honest citizen. He is about fifty, unmarried, and lives with a housekeeper who fusses over his health. He makes locks and runs a business with two helpers. His only problem is hay fever in summer. But he has a secret: he loves rare, expensive books, so he robs one safe every year. He plans each robbery carefully, steals enough to last twelve months, and buys books secretly through an agent. Fifteen years earlier he had served his first and only prison sentence, working in the prison library.
The careful plan. This July he has spent two weeks studying Shotover Grange: its rooms, wiring, paths and garden. The family is in London, and the two servants have gone to the movies. The safe holds about fifteen thousand pounds' worth of jewels. Selling them one by one, he hopes to get at least five thousand, enough to buy three interesting books coming up for sale in autumn.
Inside the house. Wearing gloves so he leaves no fingerprints, Horace takes the kitchen key from a hook outside. A small dog, Sherry, wags its tail, and he calms it by name. The safe is in the drawing room behind a poor painting. A magazine article had even printed a plan of the house and mentioned the hidden safe. He cuts the weak burglar alarm wire and has four hours. But a big bowl of flowers sets off his hay fever, and he sneezes again and again.
The lady in red. A calm, firm voice asks whether he has a cold or hay fever. A young, pretty woman in red stands in the doorway, with Sherry rubbing against her. She straightens the ornaments on the fireplace, scolds the dog, and says she heard him from the top of the house. She acts like the lady of the house. When Horace says he might run, she says she would phone the police. He hints he could cut the wires and stop her, then admits he was only trying to frighten her. He begs her to let him go, saying he steals only from the rich and hates prison. She says society must be protected from men like him, but then softens.
The trap. She takes a cigarette, and Horace, eager to please, takes off his gloves to give her his lighter. She agrees to let him go if he helps her. She says she promised her husband to take her jewels to the bank but left them in the safe, and now needs them for a party. She has forgotten the numbers. Horace opens the safe without gloves, hands her the jewels and leaves happily.
The twist. He keeps his promise for two days. On the third day, thinking of his books, he plans another robbery, but by noon he is arrested for the jewel robbery. His fingerprints are all over the room. No one believes his story, and the real wife, a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty, calls it nonsense. Horace is now assistant librarian in the prison and gets angry whenever anyone mentions 'honour among thieves'.
Themes and message
Misplaced trust and its cost
The title points to the central idea. Horace, who trusts no one with his plans and leaves nothing to chance, trusts a stranger completely only because she looks and sounds like the owner. He never checks who she is. His trust is not careful judgement but relief: she offers him a way out of prison, so he wants to believe her. The story suggests that blind trust, especially when you are desperate, can undo the most careful person. Horace is punished not for the theft he planned but for trusting the wrong person.
From the text: He opens the safe without gloves for the lady. Later, "no one believed him" when he tells the truth, and the real wife calls his story nonsense.
No honour among thieves
The question before the story asks whether 'set a thief to catch a thief' or 'honour among thieves' fits. The story rejects the idea of honour among thieves. The lady is a thief too, and she shows no loyalty to a fellow criminal: she uses his skill, takes the jewels and leaves him to be caught. In a way a thief does catch a thief, because her trick sends Horace to prison. His anger at the phrase at the end shows he learnt this bitterly.
From the text: Horace thinks of "the charming, clever young lady who was in the same profession as he was" and "gets very angry" when people talk of 'honour among thieves'.
Appearance versus reality
Nothing in the story is what it seems. Horace looks like a good, respectable citizen but is a thief. The lady looks like the young owner of the house but is a thief. Even the safe is hidden behind a painting, and a magazine reveals what the owners hoped was secret. The reader, like Horace, accepts appearances until the last page. The story suggests we should judge people by facts, not by how they dress, speak or behave.
From the text: "Horace Danby was good and respectable — but not completely honest." The real wife is "a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty", not the young lady in red.
Wrong means cannot be justified by a good end
Horace believes his crimes are harmless. He steals only from the rich and only to buy books he loves, so he feels he is not a danger to society. The story questions this. However noble the purpose sounds to him, stealing is still stealing, and it leads him to prison again. The lady's sharp words, though spoken as part of her act, state the moral position: crime harms society whatever the reason. We can infer the writer gently mocks Horace's self-justification.
From the text: Horace says, "I steal only from those who have a lot of money" and that he steals "for a very good reason". The lady replies, "Society must be protected from men like you."
Overconfidence and small weaknesses
Horace plans for two weeks and feels sure this robbery will succeed like the others. He even laughs at owners who are careless with valuables. Yet two small things defeat him: his hay fever, which gives him away, and his eagerness to please, which makes him remove his gloves. The story suggests that pride in one's own cleverness makes a person blind to danger. The man who mocks foolish owners turns out to be foolish himself.
From the text: He "felt sure that this year's robbery was going to be as successful as all the others" and thinks, "How foolish people are when they own valuable things".
Characters
Horace Danby
The protagonist: a respectable lock-maker who secretly robs one safe a year and is finally tricked by another thief.
- Respectable on the outside but dishonest: everyone thinks he is a good citizen, yet he robs a safe every year.
- Meticulous planner: he studies Shotover Grange for two weeks, wears gloves and knows the servants' timings.
- Lover of books: he steals only to buy rare, expensive books through an agent, and thinks pictures take too much room.
- Gentle and non-violent: he quietens Sherry with love and admits he was only trying to frighten the lady.
- Gullible and overconfident: he trusts the lady without checking and removes his gloves to please her.
He "robbed a safe every year" to buy books; he "put on a pair of gloves" to avoid fingerprints, but later "took off his gloves and gave her his cigarette lighter".
The lady in red
The real culprit: a young thief who pretends to be the owner's wife and uses Horace to open the safe.
- Clever and quick-witted: she turns Horace's arrival into her chance and makes him do the risky work.
- Confident actor: she scolds Sherry, straightens the ornaments and talks of her husband and the bank as if she owns the house.
- Calm and firm: her voice is kindly but firm, and she is not frightened by his threat.
- Manipulative: she threatens him with the police, then offers him freedom in exchange for opening the safe.
- Unscrupulous: she shows no loyalty to a fellow thief and lets him take the blame.
She says, "Down, Sherry... Anyone would think I'd been away for a month!" and claims she has forgotten the numbers of the safe. Horace later calls her "charming, clever" and in "the same profession".
The real wife of the owner
A minor character who appears only at the end and whose description reveals the twist.
- Sharp-tongued and blunt: she dismisses Horace's story as nonsense.
- Older: she is a gray-haired woman of sixty, very different from the young lady in red.
- Represents reality: her appearance proves that Horace was fooled.
"The wife herself, a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty, said that the story was nonsense."
How it is written
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Irony of situation | Horace, who always wears gloves to avoid fingerprints, is caught because his fingerprints are all over the room. He served his first sentence in a prison library and ends up as assistant librarian in prison again. | The careful planner is beaten by his own mistake. The irony makes the ending both funny and a clear lesson about overconfidence. |
| Twist ending | Only in the last paragraphs do we learn that the real wife is sixty and gray-haired, so the young lady was a thief. | The reader shares Horace's belief until the end, so the shock is felt fully. It forces you to look back and spot the clues you missed. |
| Dialogue | The conversation between Horace and the lady, from "What is it? A cold or hay fever?" to her request about the forgotten numbers. | The dialogue shows her skill: she controls the talk, moves from threat to sympathy and leads Horace to offer help. It reveals character without the narrator explaining. |
| Contrast | Horace's respectable public life versus his secret crimes; the young lady in red versus the real sixty-year-old wife. | The contrasts build the theme of appearance versus reality and make the deception believable. |
| Light, humorous tone | Horace wonders whether to collect pictures instead of books, but decides they take too much room in a small house; he mocks owners as foolish. | The gentle humour makes Horace likeable rather than wicked, so the reader feels some sympathy even as he is punished. |
Key quotations
Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.
Horace Danby was good and respectable — but not completely honest.
narrator: The opening paragraph, after describing his quiet, successful life.
It sets up the double nature of Horace and the theme of appearance versus reality.
How foolish people are when they own valuable things
narrator (Horace's thought): Horace remembers the magazine article that revealed the safe behind the painting.
It shows his overconfidence. Ironically, he is the one who acts foolishly soon after.
Society must be protected from men like you.
The lady in red: Horace asks her to forget she saw him and let him go.
It makes her seem like an honest owner and adds pressure on Horace. It is ironic because she is a thief herself.
I steal only from those who have a lot of money.
Horace Danby: He tries to convince the lady he is no threat to society.
It shows how he justifies his crimes, raising the question of whether ends justify means.
I have always liked the wrong kind of people.
The lady in red: She seems to soften after seeing how afraid he is of prison.
It wins his trust and makes him eager to please her. Looking back, it hints that she is one of the 'wrong kind' too.
Let me go and I promise never to do this kind of thing again.
Horace Danby: He begs the lady for freedom.
He keeps this promise for only two days, which shows his habit is stronger than his word.
He gets very angry when anyone talks about ‘honour among thieves’.
narrator: The final line, describing Horace in prison.
It answers the question before the story: there was no honour between the two thieves.
A Question of Trust in real life
Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Misplaced trust and its cost
Suppose a well-dressed woman stops you at your apartment gate. She says she is your aunt's colleague and asks you to bring down a parcel your aunt left at your home. She knows your aunt's name and talks confidently.
Should you hand over the parcel? Compare your situation with Horace's trust in the lady in red. Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Name the risk: trusting someone only because she seems to belong.
- Link to the text: Horace believed the lady because she knew the dog's name and spoke confidently.
- Suggest a check: call the aunt first.
- Draw the lesson: confidence is not proof.
Answer: Like Horace, I would be trusting a stranger only because she seems to belong. Horace believed the lady because she knew the dog's name and spoke confidently. I should verify by calling my aunt before handing anything over. Confidence is not proof; checking first prevents being tricked.
Memory hook: Knowing a name is not proof of identity. Sherry the dog knew the lady, and Horace still lost.
Wrong means cannot be justified by a good end
Imagine your classmate plans to copy a science project from a website and submit it as his own. He says he needs the time for board exam revision, which is a good reason.
Is his reason enough to make copying acceptable? Use Horace's 'very good reason' to explain your view. Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- State that copying is wrong even when the aim is good.
- Link to the text: Horace stole only to buy books, yet it was still theft and led to prison.
- Point out the consequence: lost marks and lost trust.
- Offer the honest alternative.
Answer: Copying is wrong even if the aim, more study time, is good. Horace stole only to buy books, yet theft remained theft and led him to prison. If caught, my friend would lose marks and trust. Honest work, done quickly, is the better choice.
Memory hook: A 'very good reason' did not keep Horace out of prison.
Overconfidence and small weaknesses
Suppose you are the best maths student in your section. You skip revising one 'easy' chapter before the pre-board and then make careless errors in exactly that chapter.
How is your mistake similar to Horace's downfall? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Identify the pattern: good preparation, but one weakness ignored.
- Link to the text: two weeks of planning, undone by hay fever and removing his gloves.
- Connect it to the lost marks.
- Draw the lesson about checking weak spots.
Answer: Like Horace, I prepared well but ignored a small weakness. Horace planned for two weeks, yet his hay fever and removing his gloves ruined him. My carelessness in an easy chapter cost marks. Confidence must come with checking my own weak spots.
Memory hook: One sneeze and one pair of gloves: small slips sink big plans.
Appearance versus reality
Imagine a man in a neat uniform rings your doorbell. He says he is from the gas company and must check your cylinder, and he asks your grandmother to pay a fee at once.
What would you do? Explain using what Horace learnt about appearances. Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Recognise that appearance alone can mislead.
- Link to the text: the lady acted like the owner, but the real wife was sixty and gray-haired.
- Suggest practical checks: an identity card and a call to the office.
Answer: A uniform, like the lady's ease in the drawing room, only looks convincing. Horace accepted her because she acted like the owner, and the real wife turned out to be sixty and gray-haired. I would ask for an identity card and call the office first.
Memory hook: Red dress, young face, fake owner. Gray hair, sharp tongue, real owner.
Topics in this chapter
- Horace Danby Character SketchComing soon
- The Lady in A Question of Trust: Character SketchComing soon
- A Question of Trust Theme and MessageComing soon
- A Question of Trust Question AnswersComing soon
- A Question of Trust Summary and Irony
How the board asks A Question of Trust
The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.
| Question type | How it is asked | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Plot or event-based short answer (3 marks) | Why did Horace rob a safe every year? How did the lady convince Horace that she owned the house? Answer in 40-50 words. | Give two or three precise points from the text, such as the dog, the ornaments and the story of the forgotten numbers. Write in full sentences, stay within 50 words and avoid retelling the whole story. |
| Character sketch (3 or 6 marks) | Write a character sketch of Horace Danby, or of the lady in red, showing how she outwitted him. | Choose three or four traits, and back each one with an event from the text. In a long answer, open with who the character is and close with a short judgement, staying near 120 words. |
| Evaluation: was Horace responsible for his fate? (6 marks) | Was Horace's own foolishness responsible for his arrest? Give a reasoned answer. | Take a clear stand. Support it with his blind trust, removing the gloves, not checking her identity and breaking his promise. Mention the lady's cleverness as a fair counterpoint, then conclude. |
| Theme and title (6 marks) | Comment on the title, or explain how the story shows that there is no honour among thieves. | Link the title to Horace trusting a stranger. Show how one thief used and betrayed another, and use the ending, his anger at 'honour among thieves', as evidence. |
| Irony and twist (3 or 6 marks) | Bring out the irony in the story, or explain how the ending surprises the reader. | Name two or three ironies: the gloves and fingerprints, the man who mocks foolish owners being fooled, and the prison library. Explain the effect on the reader. |
| Values and extrapolation (6 marks) | Do good intentions justify wrong actions? Or: what lesson about trust can you draw from Horace's experience? | Use Horace's claim that he steals only from the rich for a good reason, then give your reasoned view. Add a brief link to everyday life and end with a clear message. |
Tricks to remember A Question of Trust
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
The six S's of the plot
Sun, Sherry, Sneeze, Stranger, Safe, Sentence. July Sun as Horace sets out. Sherry the friendly dog in the kitchen. Sneezes at the bowl of flowers. A Stranger in red at the doorway. He opens the Safe without gloves. A prison Sentence and a job as assistant librarian.
Use it when: Use it to keep the order of events right in any plot or 6-mark answer.
Red is a Robber, Gray is Genuine
The young, pretty lady in red is the fake owner and the real thief. The gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty is the real wife.
Use it when: It stops you mixing up the two women, an error that can wreck a whole answer.
Numbers ladder
50 (Horace's age), 15 (years since his only sentence), 15,000 (pounds of jewels), 5,000 (what he hoped to get), 2 weeks (studying the house), 4 hours (before the servants return), 1 hour (to open the safe), 2 days (promise kept), 3rd day (arrested by noon), 60 (the real wife's age).
Use it when: Drop one exact number into an answer to make it precise.
TRUST for the themes
T: Trust misplaced. R: Reality versus appearance. U: Unjustified means (a good end, a wrong act). S: Small weakness and overconfidence. T: Thieves have no honour.
Use it when: Before a theme or title answer, run through TRUST and pick two or three ideas to develop.
A Question of Trust: board-level solved questions
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.
Example 1: Why Horace robs a safe every year · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Why did Horace Danby rob a safe every year, and how did he use what he stole? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Horace loved rare, expensive books.
- He robbed one safe every year to pay for them.
- He stole only enough to last twelve months.
- He planned each robbery carefully.
- He bought the books secretly through an agent, so his respectable image stayed safe.
Answer: Horace loved rare, expensive books, and he robbed one safe every year to pay for them. He stole only enough to last twelve months. Each year he planned the robbery carefully, and then he secretly bought the books he wanted through an agent, so nobody suspected him.
Example 2: How the lady creates a false identity · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
The lady in red never says in plain words that she is the owner's wife, yet Horace is sure she is. How does she create this impression? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- She behaves as if the house is hers and she is at ease in it.
- She calls the dog Sherry and jokes as if she has been away.
- She straightens the ornaments on the fireplace.
- She threatens to phone the police, as an owner would.
- She talks of her husband, the bank and her jewels.
- Horace is desperate to escape prison, so he does not question her.
Answer: She behaved as if she owned the house. She knew the dog's name, Sherry, and joked as if she had been away. She straightened the ornaments, threatened to call the police, and spoke of her husband and bank. Horace, eager to escape, never questioned her.
Example 3: Character sketch of Horace Danby · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
'Horace Danby was good and respectable — but not completely honest.' Write a character sketch of Horace Danby in the light of this line. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Respectable outside: an unmarried lock-maker of about fifty with two helpers, seen by everyone as a good, honest citizen.
- Secret life: robs one safe a year to buy rare books through an agent.
- Not a typical thief: takes only a year's needs, steals only from the rich, believes he is no threat to society.
- Meticulous planner: studies Shotover Grange for two weeks, wears gloves, calls the dog by name, cuts the alarm wire.
- Weaknesses: pride and overconfidence (mocks careless owners), blind trust in a stranger, removes his gloves.
- Ending: outwitted by a cleverer thief and jailed.
Answer: Horace Danby is a man with two faces. To the world he is a respectable, unmarried lock-maker of about fifty, successful enough to employ two helpers. Secretly, he robs one safe every year to buy the rare books he loves.
He is no ordinary thief. He plans meticulously, studying Shotover Grange for two weeks, wearing gloves and calling the dog by name. He takes only enough for a year and believes he harms nobody, since he steals only from the rich.
Yet he is proud and overconfident. He mocks careless owners, but trusts a stranger blindly and removes his gloves to please her. This weakness lands him in prison, a planner outwitted by a cleverer thief.
Example 4: The irony of Horace's scorn · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Horace thinks, 'How foolish people are when they own valuable things'. Explain the irony of this thought in the light of what happens later. Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Context: a magazine article had shown the house plan and revealed that the painting hid the safe.
- Horace feels superior to the careless owners.
- Irony: he himself acts more foolishly. He trusts a stranger and takes off his gloves.
- Result: his fingerprints send him to prison for a theft that benefits someone else.
Answer: Horace mocks the owners for letting a magazine reveal their safe's hiding place. The irony is that he proves more foolish himself. He trusts a stranger, removes his gloves and opens the safe for her, leaving fingerprints. The mocker ends up the fool, jailed for another's theft.
Example 5: Do good ends justify wrong means? · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Horace tells the lady, 'I steal for a very good reason.' Do good intentions justify wrong actions? Discuss with reference to Horace's story and your own view. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Horace's defence: he steals only from the rich, takes only a year's needs, spends it on books, and says he is no threat to society.
- Counter-argument: theft stays theft whatever the purpose or the victim.
- His dishonest life forces him into lies, threats and fear of prison.
- His own method traps him; nobody believes his word.
- Extrapolation to the student's life (copying, lying for a friend) and a clear personal stand: honest means matter.
Answer: Horace believes his purpose excuses him. He steals only from the rich, takes just enough for a year and spends it on rare books. He even tells the lady he is no threat to society.
But a good end cannot make a wrong means right. Theft remains theft, whoever the victim is. His secret life also forces him into lies, threats and constant fear of prison. In the end his own dishonest method traps him, and nobody believes his word.
In real life too, copying in an exam to please parents or lying to help a friend still harms trust. Honest effort may be slower, but it protects our dignity and peace of mind.
Example 6: You are the judge · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose you were the judge at Horace's trial. He says that the wife of the owner asked him to open the safe. Would you believe him? Give reasons from the story. Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- A clear stand: the judge would not believe him.
- Evidence: his fingerprints were all over the room and the jewels were gone.
- The real wife, gray-haired and sixty, called his story nonsense.
- No witness supports his claim.
- Insight: only the reader knows the truth that he was tricked.
Answer: I would not believe him. His fingerprints were all over the room, and the jewels were gone. The real wife, a gray-haired woman of sixty, called his story nonsense. With no witness to support him, his strange claim could not be proved. Only we readers know he was tricked.
Where the marks are
How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.
How did the lady in red trick Horace Danby into opening the safe for her? (3 marks, 40-50 words) (3 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: she posed as the owner's wife (knew Sherry, spoke of her husband, threatened to call the police) | 1 |
| Content: she said she had forgotten the safe's numbers and offered to let him go if he opened it; he removed his gloves and left fingerprints | 1 |
| Expression: clear, connected sentences within 40-50 words (up to 1 mark more may be deducted for spelling and grammar errors) | 1 |
Horace Danby blamed the lady for his fate. Do you think his own foolishness was equally responsible? Give a reasoned answer. (6 marks, 100-120 words) (6 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: the lady's trickery (posing as the owner, the false story about the jewels, the offer of freedom) | 1 |
| Content: Horace's own faults (blind trust, fear of prison, removing his gloves, overconfidence despite careful planning) | 1 |
| Content: a reasoned judgement linked to the theme (misplaced trust, no honour among thieves, a wrong way of life) | 1 |
| Expression: organised paragraphs, a clear stand, coherent linking | 2 |
| Accuracy: correct grammar, spelling and punctuation within about 100-120 words | 1 |
Where students lose marks in A Question of Trust
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Treating the lady in red as the owner's wife
Students remember how she behaved but forget the twist at the end.
Wrong working
The owner's wife caught Horace and then had him arrested.
Right working
A young woman in red pretended to be the owner's wife. The real wife, a gray-haired woman of sixty, called Horace's story nonsense.
Do this: Always name her 'the lady in red' or 'the young lady'. Mention the real wife separately.
Usually costs: Can cost both content marks in a 3-mark answer, and more in a 6-mark answer built on it.
Mistake: Saying Horace forgot to wear gloves
The fingerprints are remembered, but not how they got there.
Wrong working
Horace forgot his gloves, so he left fingerprints.
Right working
Horace wore gloves at first but took them off to hand the lady his lighter, then opened the safe bare-handed.
Do this: Link the fingerprints to his eagerness to please her. That is the point of the story.
Usually costs: Can cost 1 content mark, and it hides the theme of blind trust.
Mistake: Retelling the story instead of writing a character sketch
Students write the plot in order and never name a trait.
Wrong working
Horace went to Shotover Grange, the dog was there, he sneezed, a lady came, he opened the safe...
Right working
Horace is a meticulous planner: he studied Shotover Grange for two weeks and always wore gloves.
Do this: Open each point with a trait word (planner, overconfident, trusting), then give one piece of evidence from the text.
Usually costs: Can cost 1-2 of the 3 content marks in a 6-mark answer.
Mistake: Going far over the word limit
Students add background the question does not ask for.
Wrong working
A 3-mark answer of 90 words that begins with Horace's age, his housekeeper and his hay fever before reaching the question.
Right working
A 45-word answer that goes straight to the asked point and gives two or three supported details.
Do this: Plan three value points, write one or two sentences each, and stop.
Usually costs: Can cost the expression mark, and the time lost hurts later answers.
Mistake: Missing the irony or the theme in a title or ending question
Students describe the arrest but never say what it means.
Wrong working
In the end Horace went to jail and became a librarian.
Right working
Horace was cheated by a fellow thief, so he now grows angry at any talk of 'honour among thieves'. The story proves there is none.
Do this: End every theme answer by linking the event to trust or to 'honour among thieves'.
Usually costs: Can cost 1-2 content marks in a 6-mark answer.
A Question of Trust: previous year questions
- Asked in 3 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 0.9 marks per paper; 3 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 0 of 4 sample papers.
Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.
Solved board questions from A Question of Trust
Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.
2025, set 2/1/1, Q11(a) · 6 marks · Long answer
Horace ends up in prison only to regret that a man should not trust anyone blindly without finding out the truth. Do you think his own foolishness was responsible for his arrest? Give a reasoned answer.
(A Question of Trust)
Answer in 100–120 words.
Try it first, then show our solutionSolution
- 1 mark
Opening: Yes, Horace's own foolishness largely led to his arrest, though he was also tricked.
- 1 mark
He went to rob the safe in a house he had not studied properly. He believed the lady in red when she claimed to be the mistress and trusted her without checking.
- 1 mark
He opened the safe for her, and being careless, took no precautions such as wearing gloves, so his fingerprints were left everywhere.
- 1 mark
The lady ran away with the money, leaving him to be caught, and his carefully planned robbery came to nothing.
- 1 mark
Though a skilled safe-cracker, he was overconfident and his blind trust led to prison. His own lack of caution was responsible.
- 1 mark
Conclusion: the lesson is never to trust anyone blindly without knowing the truth.
Answer: Yes. Horace's blind trust and carelessness, along with the deception of the lady in red, put him in prison.
Where the marks are
- Three relevant value points (3 marks)
- Expression and coherence (2 marks)
- Accuracy (1 mark)
Every A Question of Trust question, by year
Practice questions on A Question of Trust
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
How did Horace Danby prepare for the robbery at Shotover Grange? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Think of the two weeks before the robbery and the afternoon itself: the house, the servants, the key, the gloves, the magazine.
Answer
Value points: studied rooms, wiring, paths and garden for two weeks; waited until the two servants went to the movies (four hours); used the kitchen key from the hook; wore gloves; knew from a magazine article where the safe was.
Model answer: For two weeks Horace studied the Grange: its rooms, wiring, paths and garden. He waited until the two servants left for the movies, giving him four hours. He wore gloves, used the key hung outside the kitchen door, and knew from a magazine article where the safe was hidden.
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Why was Horace arrested, and why did nobody believe his explanation? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Recall what he had taken off in the drawing room, and who the real wife turned out to be.
Answer
Value points: arrested by noon on the third day for the jewel robbery; fingerprints all over the room because he opened the safe without gloves; claimed the owner's wife asked him; the real wife, a sharp-tongued woman of sixty, called his story nonsense.
Model answer: On the third day, a policeman arrested Horace for the jewel robbery because his fingerprints covered the room; he had opened the safe without gloves. His claim that the owner's wife had asked for help was rejected when the real wife, a sharp-tongued woman of sixty, called it nonsense.
Q3 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Write a character sketch of the lady in red, showing how she outwits an experienced thief like Horace Danby. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Organise the sketch by trait (appearance, acting skill, understanding of Horace's fear, cunning about the gloves) and back each with a detail.
Answer
Value points: young, pretty, dressed in red; quiet, kindly voice with firmness; acts the owner (Sherry, ornaments, husband, bank); threatens police; reads Horace's fear of prison; bargains freedom for opening the safe; he removes his gloves to light her cigarette; leaves with the jewels; proves there is no honour among thieves.
Model answer: The lady in red is the story's cleverest character. Young and pretty, she appears at the doorway with a quiet, kindly voice that hides firmness.
She is a confident actor. She asks about his hay fever, calls the dog Sherry, straightens the ornaments and speaks of her husband and her promise to bank the jewels. Every detail makes Horace believe she owns the house.
She is also a skilled psychologist. She threatens to call the police, sees his fear of prison and offers freedom in exchange for opening the safe. When she takes a cigarette, he removes his gloves to light it. She walks away with the jewels while Horace takes the blame, proving there is no honour among thieves.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How did Horace's hay fever contribute to his downfall? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
What was on the table in the drawing room, and what did the lady say she heard?
Answer
Value points: hay fever is his small weakness; the bowl of flowers made him sneeze loudly; the lady says she heard him from the top of the house; this led to the meeting and the trick; a tiny flaw undoes careful planning.
Model answer: Hay fever is Horace's small weakness. The flowers in the drawing room made him sneeze loudly, and the lady says she heard him from the top of the house. His sneezing gave her the chance to catch him and trick him. A tiny flaw undid all his careful planning.
Q5 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Comment on the suitability of the title 'A Question of Trust'. How does the ending answer the idea of 'honour among thieves'? Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Trace the trust step by step: why Horace trusts her, what that trust makes him do, how it is betrayed, and what he feels at the end.
Answer
Value points: story turns on misplaced trust; a careful planner trusts a stranger blindly; reasons he believes her; he removes gloves and opens the safe; trust betrayed (jewels gone, arrest, real wife calls it nonsense); the saying is disproved; Horace now angry at the phrase.
Model answer: The title fits because the whole story turns on misplaced trust. Horace, a careful planner, places blind trust in a stranger.
He believes her because she seems to belong: she knows the dog, speaks of her husband and threatens to call the police. Eager to escape prison, he accepts her story, removes his gloves and opens the safe.
His trust is betrayed. She leaves with the jewels; he is arrested because of his fingerprints, and no one believes him. The real wife calls his story nonsense.
The story thus disproves the saying that there is honour among thieves. One thief cheats another, which is why Horace now grows angry at the phrase.
Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How does the story show that appearances can be deceptive? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Compare how each of the three main figures looks with what each really is.
Answer
Value points: Horace looks respectable but robs safes; the lady looks like the owner's wife but is a thief; the real wife is quite different (gray-haired, sixty); Horace is fooled by appearances.
Model answer: Horace looks like a respectable lock-maker, but secretly robs safes. The lady in red looks like the charming owner's wife, but is a thief. The real wife is a gray-haired woman of sixty. Horace, and perhaps the reader, is fooled by appearances.
Q7 · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Horace planned every detail except his own weaknesses. What lessons about overconfidence and self-control can a student preparing for the board exam draw from his downfall? Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
First show his planning with evidence, then his weaknesses, then link them to an exam hall.
Answer
Value points: careful outside planning (two weeks, gloves, alarm wire, four hours); overconfidence (mocks owners); hay fever gives him away; fear and eagerness to please make him remove his gloves; student's lesson: preparation needs calm, checking and self-awareness.
Model answer: Horace planned every outside detail. He studied the Grange for two weeks, wore gloves, cut the alarm wire and knew the servants would be away for four hours. Yet he forgot to guard against himself.
His overconfidence made him mock careless owners while ignoring his own risks. His hay fever made him sneeze and gave him away. Fear and eagerness to please made him remove his gloves before a stranger.
A student can learn the same lesson. Knowing the syllabus is not enough if one panics, rushes or becomes careless in the hall. Small habits like checking answers, managing time and staying calm matter as much as preparation. Self-awareness completes planning.
Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose Horace, now the assistant librarian in the prison, writes to his housekeeper about what he has learnt. What three lessons might he mention? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
One lesson each about trust, about stealing for a 'good reason', and about thieves.
Answer
Value points: blind trust in a stranger is dangerous; a good purpose cannot excuse theft; there is no honour among thieves, as the lady showed.
Model answer: Horace might write that he trusted a stranger without checking her story, so blind trust is dangerous. He might admit that a good purpose cannot excuse stealing. Finally, he would warn that thieves show no honour to one another, as the lady proved.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.What does Horace Danby collect, and how does he pay for it?Show answer
Rare, expensive books, paid for by robbing one safe a year and buying the books secretly through an agent.
2.Where did Horace serve his only prison sentence fifteen years ago?Show answer
In a prison library.
3.What is the name of the dog in the kitchen?Show answer
Sherry.
4.Where was the safe hidden, and how did Horace know?Show answer
Behind a rather poor painting in the drawing room. A magazine article had revealed it.
5.Why did Horace keep sneezing?Show answer
He had hay fever, and the great bowl of flowers on the table set it off.
6.Why did Horace take off his gloves?Show answer
To hand his cigarette lighter to the lady, because he was eager to please her.
7.Who is the real wife of the owner, as described in the story?Show answer
A gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty who called Horace's story nonsense.
8.Which line shows Horace's final bitterness?Show answer
He gets very angry when anyone talks about 'honour among thieves'.
Quick revision checklist
The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?
- Can you describe Horace's public image and his secret life in two sentences each?
- Can you list four things Horace did to plan the Shotover Grange robbery?
- Can you name three things the lady did to seem like the owner of the house?
- Can you explain exactly how Horace's fingerprints ended up on the safe?
- Can you contrast the lady in red with the real wife in one line each?
- Can you explain the irony of 'How foolish people are when they own valuable things'?
- Can you link the ending to the saying 'honour among thieves'?
- Can you argue, in three points, whether a good reason can justify a wrong act, using Horace?
A Question of Trust: frequently asked questions
Who is the real thief in A Question of Trust?
The young lady in red is the real culprit. She pretended to be the owner's wife and made Horace open the safe. She took the jewels, and Horace was arrested because his fingerprints were in the room.
Why does Horace Danby steal every year?
He loves rare, expensive books. He robs one safe a year and steals enough to last twelve months, then buys books secretly through an agent.
How did the lady trick Horace without being suspected?
She behaved like the owner. She scolded Sherry, straightened the ornaments, spoke of her husband, the bank and a party, and threatened to call the police. She then said she had forgotten the numbers of the safe, so Horace opened it for her.
Why was Horace caught when he always wore gloves?
While trying to please the lady, he took off his gloves to give her his lighter. He then opened the safe without them. His fingerprints were all over the room, and no one believed his story.
What is the meaning of the title A Question of Trust?
The story turns on trust. Horace, a careful planner, trusts a stranger blindly because she offers him escape from prison. That misplaced trust ruins him, and it shows there is no honour among thieves.
Why does Horace get angry at the phrase 'honour among thieves'?
A fellow thief betrayed him and let him take the blame for her robbery. For him, the phrase is a bitter joke because she showed no honour at all.
Based on: CBSE English Language and Literature syllabus 2026-27; NCERT Footprints without Feet (Reprint 2026-27), A Question of Trust