Lord Woodridge shook his head decisively. “I do not think I have the temperament even to pretend to be a murderer.”
“Nor the eyesight,” Josie said. “You would undoubtedly have to stop to polish your spectacles on the way up the stairs.”
“I suppose it has to be someone who was not here that night,” Lord Farramont said slowly.
“That would be you or me or Tarvin,” said Lord Kiltarlity.
“Or me,” Eustace said. “I was not here that night either.”
“Indeed,” Michael said, “and you have the inestimable advantage over the other gentlemen that you know the castle intimately. Besides, it does not seem right to ask a peer of the realm to portray a murderer. Would you be willing to undertake the rôle, sir?”
“If it will help, of course,” Eustace said, languidly. “I agree with Izzy, in fact — I think it will be a lark, and the tale of it will keep me in ale at the White Horse for years. But you need not worry, Captain. I shall take it very seriously. I know how important it is that this fellow is caught, once and for all, and I am happy to offer whatever assistance is in my power.”
Michael made him a sweeping bow. “You are very good, sir. Shall we say tomorrow afternoon, then? If we gather at two, say, there will be time to settle everyone in their initial positions, and arrange a bolster in the bed to represent Mr Nicholson.”
“You want me to murder a bolster?” Eustace said.
“I am depending on it,” Michael said, with a grin.
26: The Captain Understands
It took a little more than an hour to arrange everyone in their starting positions, family and servants alike. Michael had emphasised again that they should react exactly as they had done on the night of the murder, so if they were slow to wake up, they should be slow this time, too. It would not be precise, for it was impossible to recreate the events exactly as they had happened, but there might be something, some clue that would point him in the right direction.
All those who were not present on the night in question gathered in the great hall, together with Sir Hubert Strong, as magistrate, and Lady Alice. Mr Alfred Strong had insisted on being with her, so that he could describe what was happening to her.
“Very well, but keep the sound very low when the murderer passes through. The great hall should be silent and empty, so please, everyone be as quiet as you can, and do not delay Mr Eustace. Now, Sandy, have you the axe?”
The Scotsman brandished it with a grin.
“Mr Eustace, sir, will you please deposit the axe in the left-hand urn?”
“Why me?” Eustace said.
“You are the murderer, Eustace,” Kent called out. “You have to know where the axe is.”
“Ah, so I can retrieve it. Of course.”
Confidently, he took the axe and ran lightly up the stairs to the half-landing where the two giant Chinese urns stood, and moved directly to the right-hand one.
“The left is the other side, Eustace,” Walter called out, as a murmur of laughter ran round the assembled crowd.
“Ah. Of course.”
“Heavens, Eustace, you make a terrible murderer,” Izzy said. “You should have let me do it after all, Captain.”
That brought more laughter.
“Now, sir,” Michael said. “Outside, as soon as you can. The light is fading fast.”
He led the way down to the basement and out through the garden door. Outside, the air was chilly and damp. “You know what you have to do, sir?”
“Through the door, up the service stairs to the great hall, retrieve the axe from the urn—”
“Theleft-handurn.”
“Yes! Then on up the stairs to Nicholson’s room, murder the bolster, drop the axe and straight back down the stairs. Is that right?”
“It is, and as fast as you possibly can.” Michael pulled out his pocket watch. “At all costs, you want to get in and out without being seen. I shall be timing you. Right, off you go, sir.”
