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“We have,” said Havelock. “Good morning, Heather.”

At the top of the rise was a wonderful view of the forest and the hills beyond it. From here, it was possible to glimpse the glinting of distant Windermere Lake. There were gaps in the clouds now, allowing fleeting moments of blue through, which served only to complement the view. I could see steam rising in a trail through a different forest and knew it to be a train. It felt strange—seeing England so close to Farleigh, as if Farleigh were a completely different country altogether—but it served as a poignant reminder of the forest’s vulnerability: We were still very much in the heart of the British Empire.

Heather was wearing thick gloves, and had a metal tool in hand. She sighed, noticing the expression across my face. “Fear not, Major. I’m not sabotaging the trees. The ladies are exposed up here, and attract an uncommon amount of lichen and fungus. I come up a few times a year to scrape away the worst, before it can hurt them.”

“The ladies?” said Havelock.

“She and her,” said Heather, pointing with her scraping tool at the intertwined trees.

Havelock smiled. “They are lovely, aren’t they?”

“Unique, so far as I’ve seen.”

I studied the words across their trunks. They each kept their own phrases:

OUR HOME, said one.

LOVELY PRESS, said the other.

TO CLUTCH EMBRACE

SO CLOSE A RISE TOGETHER

“Any luck finding the person responsible for felling the Duke?” asked Heather.

“Our investigation is proceeding,” Havelock told her, “but there are some facts that still remain to be uncovered.”

“We’ve been told that you were overheard expressing gladness that the Duke was gone,” I said.

Heather scowled. “Still trying to pin it on me? Certainly, Major—I’m of the opinion that Farleigh would be better off without Duke or Duchess. We could be better hidden from the world. But I’m no killer. You’re wasting your time chasing rumours about me.” I wondered, again, about the kiss I had seen. Certainly, Mary would benefit if she did not have to play the role of Duchess—it seemed quite the burden.

Havelock cleared his throat. “There is one thing you could help us with.”

“Oh?” Heather put her fists to her hips. “And what might that be?”

“Whoever felled the Duke sabotaged three words in his upper branches. Judging by the Ambassador’s tapestries, they were newly grown words. I’ve inspected the remains closely, and am given to believe that all three words were in fact the same word, which was four letters long. I am also given to believe that whoever felled the Duke did so because of that single, short word. I am, however, unable to determine what it might have been. I know that you are well acquainted with the trees,” said Havelock, gesturing at the Lovers. “Might you have any educated guesses?”

This seemed to disarm Heather. She looked thoughtful. “A four-letter word, you say?”

“Possibly five, possibly three, but most likely four.”

“I see.” Heather leaned against the tumbled remains of the wall. “In recent years, the Duke has been expressing some strong ideas.”

“He was afraid of something,” I said.

“It seemed as much. I always thought he was afraid of the world beyond the forest, and rightly so. But a single four-letter word? I’m not sure. The trees, they’re not…”

“Specific?” said Havelock.

Heather nodded. “Not normally. The words they use … it’s like they’re feeling them out, testing them on their trunks and branches. I’m not sure what kind of word might drive someone to fell him. Maybe he was being specific—about what was frightening him?”

“Yes,” said Havelock. “I thought as much too.” Removing his hat, he ran his hands around its rim. “It’s frustrating, being so close to an answer. But I’m sure if we persevere, all will become clear in time.”

“Where next?” I asked.

Havelock gestured with his hat at the glimmering lake in the distance. “It’s about time we returned to Windermere. The trees have told us all they can, and I think that I would like to consult some books and send some telegrams. There are a few pieces of information that we will not be able to find in Farleigh.”

“Will you be gone long?” asked Heather.