“Well,” I said, trying to collect my thoughts. “I’d say he was a selfish man, brought up to have his own way and to get what he wanted. He had little regard for the feelings of others.”

“Give me an example.”

“Well, his niece Elisabeth was crippled in a horse riding accident. Apparently there is a clinic in Switzerland that might be able to cure her, but Cedric refused to pay for her to go there for spinal treatments. On the other hand, he wasn’t hesitating at all to shell out loads of money to build a big theater on the property. And he made it clear to the rest of his family that he found them a nuisance and wanted them out of his house—even though it has hundreds of rooms.”

“And who are the other members of his family that he finds such a nuisance?”

“Well, his mother, the dowager duchess. You’ve met her.”

“Oh yes,” he said. “I’ve definitely met her.”

“As you saw, she’s very much an aristocrat of the old school. She used to be my grandmother’s lady-in-waiting.”

“And your grandmother was?”

“Queen Victoria’s daughter.”

“Blimey,” he muttered. “Do go on.”

“She is very hot on everything being done correctly. And a terrific defender of the dukedom.”

“I don’t suppose she was too thrilled when a young lad from the outback arrived then?”

“Actually, it was she who sought him out. The survival of the title and property are all-important to her. She was furious with Cedric for refusing to marry and produce an heir.”

“Yes, why didn’t he ever marry?”

“He wasn’t much interested in girls, Chief Inspector, as you’ll soon discover when you interview the other people in this house.”

“I see. Had a male companion, did he?”

“Several.”

“Hmmm.” He stroked his chins. “Several male companions. Any idea where I might find them?”

“In the house somewhere,” I said. “They’ve been staying here. They are supposed to be working on a play that was going to be part of Cedric’s theater festival this autumn.”

“Right.” He took out a notebook and scribbled down some words.

“Any other non-family members live in the house?”

“Well, I’m here at the moment and so are two friends of mine, the Honorable Darcy O’Mara, son of Lord Kilhenny from Ireland, and my school friend Belinda Warburton-Stoke. Mr. O’Mara was the one who was sent to fetch the heir from Australia.”

“And Miss Warburton-whatsit?”

“She only came to deliver a lost evening slipper to me that I’d left in London. She arrived right before you did.”

“Convenient of her,” he said. “Now, let’s get back to the rest of the family. A whole pack of ’em, by the looks of things.”