There was that particular fixture mounted over the bathtub, along with an assortment of jars and bottles. Then there was alength of rope that appeared to be made of satin. There was also what appeared to be several rolled pieces of wool that had been discarded into a basket. I was somewhat familiar with them from the earliest part of my more private relationship with Brodie.
I made several notes as he asked, “Might we see Sir Collingwood’s private room now?”
“Of course, sir,” Mr. Flannery replied without the slightest change of expression or reaction at what we had discovered in the bathroom.
We followed Mr. Flannery to a lift at the end of the hallway beyond that bathing chamber, and discreetly hidden behind carved wood double doors.
“The rooms Sir Collingwood usually occupies, along with other guests, are some distance apart on the second floor.”
After arriving at the second floor, he accompanied us to that suite of rooms, and opened the door onto the main sitting room.
“If there is anything else, sir…?” Mr. Flannery started to say.
Brodie immediately thanked him. “That will be all.”
He nodded and left us to our observations as I slowly walked about the room. Its thick window coverings were drawn this late in the day, the chamber lit by several electric fixtures.
It was said that His Highness had the latest amenities installed for when his family visited Sandringham. And obviously for ‘guests’ as well.
Water was provided to each room through a series of pipes with running water from a water tower on the grounds of the estate. Electricity was provided by a gas-powered plant.
The formal parlor for the suite was decorated as one might expect of a hunting lodge, with the heads of a water buffalo, a lion, deer, and boar that ran along the tastes of my father, and which I always thought quite garish.
The parlor provided no additional clues and we continued into the adjoining bedchamber.
“It does seem that either Sir Collingwood is an extremely tidy person, or the rooms have been cleaned and quite thoroughly,” Brodie commented.
I was of much the same opinion as I moved about the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary that might tell us something about his stay and that last night before Sir Collingwood disappeared.
Yet, in spite of everything in its place, there did seem to be a strange fragrance in the room that had obviously been closed off the past few days. It wasn’t a woman’s fragrance but something else.
“Juniper,” I remarked as it came to me at last.
Brodie looked over at me. “I beg yer pardon? Have ye found something?”
“There is the scent of juniper in the room. I recognize it from the forest around Old Lodge.”
I caught the change of expression on his face when I mentioned Old Lodge, a place that held memories for us both. He frowned but said nothing as he continued to inspect the wardrobe and a table set with a decanter with what might have been brandy and two crystal tumblers.
I continued my own search and discovered the source of that familiar scent.
“It is here,” I announced as I found a crushed spring of juniper caught in the double doors that led out onto a balcony.
Brodie followed me out onto the balcony.
The brisk air was refreshing after the mustiness of the room, with steps that led down to the gardens below. Brodie immediately followed those steps and disappeared into the growing darkness.
I eventually caught the glow from the beam of the handheld light he always carried. He returned with a thoughtful expression.
“It appears that Sir Collingwood may have taken a late-night walk about the grounds, however there are no juniper trees nearby. There are footprints but not enough light to see beyond the garden.”
“The forest where His Highness and guests usually hunt is just beyond the gardens,” I replied.
He nodded. “And not enough light about to tell us where those prints may lead. We will need to return tomorrow.”
It was obvious by the disappointment in his voice that he had hoped we might be able to conclude our search for clues into Sir Collingwood’s disappearance and return to London the same day. I had hoped for the same. However, that was not to be.
I tucked the piece of juniper into my bag and we returned to the bedchamber to continue our search for anything else that might tell us something about that last night.
