‘He was actually a friend of my grandfather’s. They met at a cricket match, I believe, a freebie laid on at Lord’s by Ravensword, and clicked over their shared enthusiasm for English sports that have had their day. Grandfather was a lonely man and I found out that he invited all sorts of people here, to fish, to hunt, to dine and to provide company. That’s my understanding. The invitation was further extended to George after my grandfather’s death as a goodwill gesture. He knew the old place well, and always looked after it. I asked him to check a few things out before I came up myself to finalise building plans. I was too late.’ He looked at his hands. It was the first sign of emotion.

‘Sorry, I’m confused, Mr Montague-Roland,’ Kelly said.

‘You can call me Sebastian.’

‘Sebastian. I thought the estate was left in trust; are you saying that you own it outright?’

‘Oh, that business is all sorted now. Grandfather was worried that I’d turn it into a debauched party cave. It was always meant to be mine, and now it is.’

Kelly looked at Emma. A thought occurred to her that had been sitting on her shoulder since they had arrived. Debauched party cave? The late Lord Allerdale had not approved of his grandson’s lifestyle. She looked at his hands, and then at his socks, noting the way he occasionally glanced at the male uniforms. He was either a homosexual or a dandy, and the latter had died out decades ago. Was there a family skeleton here?

‘Right. You said that you thought George had left a day earlier than scheduled. What made you think that?’

‘I called the house several times and he didn’t answer, that’s all. It was just a presumption. I should have raised the alarm then; he might still be alive.’ Another flash of grief came and went.

‘It’s vitally important that we create a picture of George’s life so we can get to know him better. I’ve asked for any paperwork left by your grandfather to be collected, mainly to see if their relationship was anything more than friendship. For example, whether they had business dealings together, or if they knew the same people.’

‘Well, I kept a lot of his things. I haven’t really been up here much; business keeps me in the capital. Still, we’ll make something of the place yet. My plan is an exclusive resort, with a Michelin-starred restaurant and a luxury spa – that’s all the rage now…’ He had wandered into his own world of money-making, and Kelly brought him back to the present.

‘Would anybody else have known that George was here?’

Sebastian’s demeanour shifted, but he shook his head. He also folded his arms.