“No worries,” Jack said. “I can push the chair to the end of the hall and then carry her down the stairs.”

“Jack, I think it takes two people,” I began, but he reached into Sissy’s chair and lifted her as easily as if she was no weight at all.

“There you are. Like I said, no worries.” He had a big grin on his face. He put her back in the bath chair, opened the door and set off at a great pace down the hall. Oh, dear, I thought as I watched them go. I do hope she’s not falling for someone who might have killed her uncle and tried to kill her mother.

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The tableau assembled in the library looked like the set from a period stage drama. The old sisters in their outmoded fashions were sitting in high-backed, leather armchairs. The twins sat cross-legged on the floor. The three Starlings stood uncomfortably by the bookcase on the wall. There was no sign of Edwina.

Everyone looked up expectantly as the door opened, but it was Jack carrying Sissy. One of the servants followed with the bath chair. They settled her off to one side, by the fire.

“Isn’t this exciting?” Simon said in a stage whisper. “I keep expecting a detective in a deerstalker to appear at any moment saying, ‘I’ve called you all together to name the murderer.’”

“As long as it’s not ‘I’ve called you all together to tell you to leave my house this instant,’” Nick replied.

“Do you think Ceddy’s waiting to make a grand entrance?” Simon whispered.

“With his mother. What a fearsome duo. And where is Lady Irene? The main players are not here yet. Only us bit parts.”

As if on cue, the door opened and the dowager duchess came in. Her gaze scanned the room. “Good. You’re all here,” she said. She noticed Jack. “There you are, John.” Her voice sounded breathless. “We hadn’t seen you all morning. We thought you might have gone out.”

“What, in this weather?” Jack grinned. “Not me. I’m not used to rain. We only get six inches a year where I come from.”

“You’re here now. That’s the important thing,” she said, “because this concerns you more than anyone else.”

She looked around the room. “I should first tell you that my daughter, Lady Irene, is awake and drinking some black coffee. That is wonderful news, is it not?”

“What happened to Mummy?” Sissy asked. “Is something wrong with her?”

“She was a little under the weather. She’s quite all right now, and that’s all that matters,” Edwina said smoothly.

“What happened to Lady Irene?” Adrian whispered to me.

“Took a sleeping draft and they couldn’t wake her.”

“Tried to kill herself, you mean?” Adrian whispered back then turned red when he realized that Edwina was frowning at him and clearing her throat.