Darcy looked at him sharply. “You didn’t like the way things were being done?” he said. “Do you think Mr. Roach knew about the horse doping?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t order it himself,” Paddy said. “Where would your father know how to get his hands on the latest drugs? And your father cared about those horses. You know he did. He’d never have risked one of them dying just to win a race.”

“Interesting.” Darcy nodded. “And you’re right. The only thing my father has shown affection for in recent years has been his horses. And yet Roach publicly blamed him for that dead horse at the racetrack. And sacked him from being a trainer at what used to be his own stable. The ultimate insult and injury, wouldn’t you say? Unfortunately it only provides another nail in his coffin, doesn’t it?”

Paddy looked confused then said, “Oh, you mean another reason to want to kill Roach? Yes, I have to confess, it doesn’t look good for him. Well, we’re behind him here, no matter what.” He touched Darcy’s arm. “The van is parked outside the butcher’s. If you and the young lady want to get in, we’ll drive over to the farm shop.”

“Georgie needs to pick up her suitcase from your mother first,” Darcy said. “You drive over and we’ll catch up with you.”

“Go ahead of me just in case that woman reporter is lurking inside,” I whispered to Darcy. He nodded. I hung back in the shadows. But before we reached the door Mrs. Murphy herself came out. She beamed when she saw Darcy. “Well, this is a treat, I must say. You’re looking fine, Mr. Darcy. And you must have bumped into our Paddy. They are expecting their third this week.”

“So we heard,” Darcy said. “We’ve come to pick up this young lady’s suitcase you were kind enough to look after.”

“Oh, right you are, Mr. Darcy. I’ll just fetch it.”

Mrs. Murphy eyed me inquiringly as she came out with the suitcase. “I didn’t realize this young lady was a friend of yours, Mr. Darcy.”

“Yes, I’m part of his London set,” I said, again in my best “bright young thing” voice. “I was in Dublin and heard he was here so I had to stop by to say hello.”

Mrs. Murphy looked down at the suitcase as if trying to work out why I’d be lugging a suitcase from Dublin if saying hello was all I wanted to do.

“We should be going,” Darcy said. “Your Paddy is giving us a lift.”

“We’re really sorry about your father, Mr. Darcy,” she said. “It must be awful hard on you.”

Darcy nodded. Tried to find something to say, but couldn’t. Then he picked up my suitcase and turned away.