As we came around the house to the forecourt, Nick said excitedly, “Look, the detective’s car is back again. Do you think he’s found out what the poison was? Or maybe he’s even found out who did it.”

“I don’t think so,” Kat said. “He didn’t seem very intelligent to me.”

We handed the horses over to the grooms and made our way back to the house, the twins holding our hands and dragging us eagerly. I expected to find everyone assembled in the Long Gallery again but the house was quiet and there was no sign of any policemen. The twins looked around expectantly. “Where can the inspector be?” Kat asked. “Let’s go and find out.”

“You both need to change out of those clothes before you do anything else,” Darcy said. “You smell of horse.”

“Spoilsport,” Kat muttered. “If we go upstairs, we’ll be trapped in the nursery. Nanny and dreaded Carter never know anything. We have to find out what poisoned Uncle Cedric.”

“You know you’ll get into trouble if you’re found down here in riding togs,” I said. “Go on. Off you go.”

Nick sighed, and dragged Kat up the stairs toward the nursery. I went to my room to change too.

“Pooh. You don’t ’alf stink of ’orse,” Queenie complained as she pulled off my riding boots. “What am I supposed to do with this lot?”

“Brush it off and air it out, I suppose,” I said. “I don’t know. You’re the maid!”

“I ain’t never had to deal with no ’orses,” she muttered as she helped me off with my breeches. “The only ’orse I ever came in contact with was the rag and bone man’s. Oh, and the milkman’s.”

I washed my face and hands, brushed my hair and went downstairs to see Chief Inspector Fairbotham standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking perplexed. “Oh, there you are, Lady Georgiana,” he said. “I’ve been looking for the old duchess. You haven’t seen her recently, have you?”

“I’ve just come back from a ride,” I said. “I haven’t seen anybody. Have you found out what killed Cedric?”

“Yes, and no,” he said. “That’s why I need to talk to the duchess. That butler went off to get her ages ago. I haven’t got all day to stand around here.”

“I’ll go and see if you like,” I said, but I had just started back up the stairs when Huxstep came striding out of the Long Gallery.

“I’m sorry, Chief Inspector, but I have been unable to locate Her Grace,” he said. “Her maid hasn’t seen her all morning, and I’ve had the footmen search all the rooms that are in use.”

“What about the rooms that aren’t in use?” Fairbotham snapped.