“Nothing unseemly or distasteful to you, I assure you, merely to help us to arrange— No, let me explain properly. Normally, as magistrate, I would investigate any crime within my area, but in this case… so brutal a murder, and knowing the family intimately, as I do… as we all do, it is impossible for me to be entirely impartial.”
“I am sure you would not let your friendship with the earl influence your duty, Papa.”
“Certainly I would do my best not to, but it cannot but intrude. My every feeling rejects the notion that any member of the family could conceivably be responsible for such a heinous crime, yet the possibility must be considered. Therefore, your uncle has recommended calling upon the services of a man with some experience in dealing with such events.”
“Murder? There are men who are experienced in the matter of murder?”
“In solving them, yes, and other mysteries, too,” Uncle Alfred said. “Lord Rennington has written to secure the services of this man and his colleagues, but it may be some time before he can arrive, assuming he is even able to accept the commission.”
“Exactly,” Sir Hubert said. “Meanwhile, I must do what I can to record everything of importance in the matter before he arrives, before memories fade or evidence is destroyed.”
“Like the footprints in the flowerbed when someone broke into Highwood Place?”
“Exactly so! It will be a huge undertaking, but your uncle has agreed to help me. Will you assist us, Winnie? Be our taker of notes, and point out to us the obvious details we might have missed?”
“I should be delighted to do whatever I can, if it will help the family at the castle.”
“There! I knew you would! You are a good, sensible girl, Winnie. We shall set out at eight tomorrow, so breakfast early and wear your riding habit.”
2: Edgerton, Alexander And Associates
Captain Michael Edgerton dismounted in front of the White Horse Inn at Birchall. He extracted his sword and attached it to his belt before handing his mount to the ostler who ambled out to attend to him.
The common room was quiet, with just a couple of elderly farmers playing cribbage in a corner. At a table in the window, he saw the head of golden hair he was looking for, and crossed the room to join his friend, Alexander Saxby.
“Well, Sandy.”
“Well, Captain. Pleasant ride?”
“Very dull. Not a drop of rain, a light breeze and no hint of trouble.”
Sandy laughed. “Aye, that sounds dull. Never mind, ye’ll find all the trouble yer heart desires up at the castle.”
Michael rubbed his hands together in delight. “Excellent.” Waving over the potboy, he ordered ale and a bowl of stew and sat down opposite the Scotsman. “Now, tell me everything, Sandy.”
“It’s not much yet, only what the earl’s told me and taproom gossip.” Sandy pulled out a notebook. “Corland Castle, home to the 11th Earl of Rennington. The murdered man is Arthur Nicholson, aged fifty-five. The chaplain. Discovered by his wife, the Lady Alice, sister to the earl, at four in the morning. She was covered in blood and holding an axe. Her husband was on the bed, killed by an axe.”
“Ah. Tell me she found the axe on the floor, or this would be far too simple. Besides, I should hate to see an earl’s sister hang.”
“She says she did. Also, she is blind… has been blind since childhood. Very distressed. Her screaming woke the household.”
“Four in the morning… almost light, then.”
Sandy nodded. “The earl called in the magistrate, a neighbour, Sir Hubert Strong and the coroner, Mr Ashbridge. Sir Hubert’s brother, Mr Alfred Strong, recommended us.”
“What about the chaplain… any enemies? Of course not. Chaplains are mild-mannered scholarly sorts, not given to ungentlemanly behaviour. Any thoughts on who it might be? Did the earl give you any clues? Or the taproom gossip?”
“It’s universally agreed to be an intruder who wandered in, picked up an axe from the display in the great hall — the walls are covered with them, ye’ll love it — went up the stairs to the chaplain’s room and laid into him.”
“And left without being seen, I suppose. No helpful trail of bloody footsteps?”
“No blood beyond the carpet in the bedroom. I’ve identified the doors where an intruder might enter the castle, but he’d have to know where they were, and have a key.”
“Not impossible, but… improbable, shall we say. Much more likely to be someone inside the castle.”
“Aye, I’d say so. The magistrate’s compiling a complete list of everyone who was there on that night for us. The earl’s made a room available for us to use for interviews and suchlike, and wecan stay there if we want to. I’ve taken a room here for now, but the castle would be a deal more comfortable.”
“Oh, yes. Better food, better wine, and we shall be on the spot.”
