Darcy nodded. I gave him a quick glance. Ever since I had known him he had been daring, dashing, full of energy. He had seemed to me like a person who enjoyed living on the edge, laughing in the face of danger. Now he appeared like a shadow of his former self, a deflated balloon, and all that wonderful enthusiasm quite missing. And I realized once again that he feared that any evidence we found would only point all the more strongly to his father’s guilt. Nevertheless he did as I had asked and edged the Rolls among the trees. We got out, closing the doors quietly. I followed Darcy as we skirted the lodge, watching warily for signs that someone might spot us from a window. But the curtains were drawn and the building had a blank, unlived-in feel to it. On the other side was a small kitchen garden, more or less bare at this time of year. We moved among rhododendron bushes until we came to the wall. Here it was overgrown with ivy and Darcy had to search for a while before he found the place where the ivy had been disturbed. He lifted a luxuriant branch and under it was the iron handle of a small door. It turned easily and we were through into the park surrounding Kilhenny Castle. The stillness was overpowering, as if every bird and creature that lived there was watchful. My first thought was of the Secret Garden, that we had blundered into a place where nobody went these days. But of course that wasn’t true, as I saw almost immediately a large footprint in a muddy patch close to the wall. I pointed it out to Darcy.

“Your father’s?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I’ve no idea what kind of footwear he favors, but this is a shoe, as opposed to a workman’s boot, so it could be his.”

“The print looks to be quite recent.”

“But there is no way of knowing when it was made.”

“We can see if subsequent prints move in a straight line or if they weave.”

“Well, they’d have to weave a bit because the path twists and turns.” He sounded testy now and I realized that he was scared we’d confirm his deepest fears.

“We don’t have to do this, Darcy,” I said, touching his hand. He flinched at my touch, showing how tense he was.

“Now we’re here we might as well see it through,” he whispered. “Come on, this way.”