“Don’t you half believe he did it?” Belinda said. “The wild colonial boy. I bet they settle disputes with knives all the time in the outback.”

“Well, I don’t think he did it,” I said firmly, perhaps trying to convince myself. “He’s not stupid. Would you leave your knife sticking out of someone’s back so that everything would point straight to you?”

Belinda’s eyes opened wider. “So you’re suggesting that someone else wanted us to believe it was Jack?”

“Precisely.”

“You’re very clever, Georgie,” Belinda said. “Too bad you weren’t born a man, or you’d have made a brilliant detective.”

I caught Darcy’s eye, and he winked.

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

By tea time, the house had returned to normal. Maids delivered plates of scones and cakes then hovered behind us, ready to pour tea when required. Everyone chatted as if nothing had ever happened, and I realized that they knew William had been taken away and were relieved. The murderer was not one of them after all. An outsider—and what’s more, someone of the lower classes. Cedric was dead but life would go on again at Kingsdowne as it always had.

“I have conveyed to Mrs. Broad that we will be quite content with another simple meal tonight,” Edwina said as she heaped clotted cream and strawberry jam onto a scone. “Really, these policemen are so insensitive. The servants are quite upset. I caught my own maid sniveling in a corner. Says she’s frightened to walk around the house in case a murderer is lurking. I told her to stop that nonsense instantly. The person who has been killed is my son, I said. It is I who should be weeping, not you. Besides, why would anyone consider a servant worth killing?”

She broke off as Chief Inspector Fairbotham came into the room.

“Any news, Chief Inspector?” she asked. “We saw our former footman William being taken away. Are we to gather that he was responsible?”

“William has been taken to the police station for questioning,” Fairbotham said. “As yet, no arrests have been made and we are still examining the evidence.” And his gaze focused on Jack. “I’m sending most of my men home for the day now, but I’ll be in touch as soon as we know anything more. Enjoy your tea.”

“Go on. Ask him now.” Belinda dug Darcy in the side.