“I have no idea, Virginia,” Edwina said. “I just wish nothing to be touched until the police have made a thorough investigation.” She looked around the company. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have to address the servants and apprise them of the situation. John, you will come with me. It is right and fitting that they are formally introduced to you. They are your staff now.”

She took his arm. He looked absolutely stunned as she started to lead him off. She paused in the doorway and looked back at us, all frozen in place with shock. “I suggest that we all stay reasonably close by, as I’m sure the police will want a statement from each of us. And it goes without saying that nobody should attempt to go anywhere near the glen.” She paused and glared at Nick and Katherine. “Out of morbid curiosity,” she added. “Because you’ll find a policeman guarding the site, and there will be serious repercussions from me.” Then she gave a little jerking nod of the head and went out the door with Jack in tow.

Nick and Katherine rushed over to me. “Isn’t it thrilling, Georgie?” Nick said, his eyes sparkling. “A real murder, and awful Uncle Cedric at that. If anyone had to be murdered, I’m glad it’s him.”

“It’s ‘he,’ Nicholas,” I said, “and I don’t think you should say things like that out loud. It will get back to your grandmother.”

He nodded. “I only meant . . . well, there are some people one likes and others one doesn’t. I’m going to take another look at Sissy’s Sherlock Holmes book and see what he would have done to find clues. What’s the betting there are tiny clues all over the place that the police will overlook, eh, Kat? You know, the match from a certain matchbox that showed the murderer was left-handed and came from Austria?”

“I think you two should stay well out of the way of the police,” I said. “Real-life murders are not like Sherlock Holmes. Besides, it’s your uncle who died. You should be in mourning.”

“It’s hard to be in mourning for someone so nasty,” Nick said as we came out of the room into the hallway. “He made it horribly clear that he never wanted us here. He was stinking rich and yet he wouldn’t pay for school for me and Kat.”

“Kat and me,” I corrected.

“You see how desperately we need schooling, don’t you?” Katherine said. “Utterly hopeless, that’s what Mr. Carter says.”

“I think you are lucky to have such a fine tutor. You should make the most of his brilliant brain.”

“Anyway, everything will change now, won’t it?” Katherine said happily. “Jack is now lord of the manor, and he’ll want to help his poor relatives.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” I said.

“Why not?” Kat looked puzzled.