“My dear, I’m dying to hear the details on last night,” Belinda said. “I almost woke you when I got home. You did have a lovely smile on your face so I could only conclude that Mr. O’Mara had revealed to you the mysteries of life and love.”

“He wanted to.”

“But you didn’t?”

“It wasn’t that I didn’t. As a matter of fact I did. Very much.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“I just couldn’t go through with it. I realized that he wasn’t suitable husband material and I had this horrible vision of ending up like my mother.”

“But she’s had plenty of husbands.”

“But I want somebody who’s going to love me and stick with me for the rest of my life.”

“Darling, how terribly old-fashioned. And someone has to relieve you of this frightful burden you carry. Who better than Darcy?”

“You can recommend him, can you?”

She looked at me and gave a delightful peal of laughter. “Oh, so that was it! You thought that Darcy and I—and you didn’t want to tread on my toes. Aren’t you sweet.”

I didn’t like to mention that I didn’t want shop-soiled goods.

At that moment a great blast of wind came down the chimney. The storm had been building all day and we looked at each other in alarm.

“You don’t think his ghost is lingering here, wanting vengeance, do you?” Belinda asked.

“Castle Rannoch is full of ghosts. I’m used to them.”

“Really? Have you ever actually seen one?”

“Sort of. You know, when you are aware of something out of the corner of your eye.”

“Does it really go awfully cold before they appear?”

“You can’t tell at Castle Rannoch.”

There was a clattering noise on the street below.

“What was that?” Belinda asked nervously.

I went to the window. “I can’t see from here,” I said.

“It sounded as if it was close. Maybe in your basement area.”

“It’s probably only a cat or a rubbish bin blown over. But we can go down and see.”

“Are you mad? A killer has been in this house.”

“Belinda, there are two of us, and we’ll take something to hit him with. The house is full of weapons. Take your pick.”

“All right.” She didn’t sound all right at all, but suddenly I felt very angry. My whole life had been turned upside down. My brother was suspected of a crime and I wanted this over. I stamped down the stairs, grabbing an assegai that a family member had brought back from the Boer War.

We made our way down to the kitchen, not turning on the light to warn whoever it was. Halfway across the kitchen floor a shadow of a man outside the window was thrown across the room and we leaped into each other’s arms.