“While I, on the other hand, possess no Veronal and only discovered that Princess Marina uses it when the subject came up in conversation yesterday. So you have the motive, the knowledge of where to find Veronal, and a wet jacket. I’d say that adds up to something pretty compelling. And—” I paused again. Really, I should have become a barrister. I was rather pleased with myself. “She is so rattled that you are getting near to the truth that she tries to claim she saw me in the courtyard. She is jealous of me, Chief Inspector, because I have been assigned to be the princess’s companion. And as you just said, jealousy is the most compelling of motives.”

Another long pause. “You do make a good case, Lady Georgiana,” he said grudgingly. “And I have to admit that it seems most likely that Miss Carrington was killed after your departure for Buckingham Palace.”

“And actually my maid was helping me to dress until I went down to join Princess Marina,” I said. “I don’t believe there was a moment when I was alone, which I’m sure the others can verify.”

“Which still leaves us with Mr. O’Mara,” he said. “Given his close ties to the murdered girl and the fact that he has been so devilishly hard to find. Almost as if he’d gone into hiding.”

“Mr. O’Mara is always hard to find,” I said. “He has no London address. He never has a forwarding address. But I’m sure you can ask Sir Jeremy. He knows more about Mr. O’Mara than I do, apparently.” I stood up. “And if there is nothing else, I take it I have your permission to go now?”

“Yes, I see no reason to detain you further at this stage,” he said. “After all, we know where to find you until the wedding, don’t we? And if the countess divulges anything else that might be of interest to us, you will let us know, won’t you?”

I laughed. “One minute I’m the prime suspect, the next I’m working undercover for the police.”

It was his turn to give an uneasy chuckle. “Oh, I wouldn’t go as far as prime suspect, Lady Georgiana. You were just helping us with our inquiries.” He paused as I stood up. “We may need to chat again at some stage. I suspect you know more than you’re saying about this Mr. O’Mara. He’s definitely not off the hook yet. I think he’s a bit of a slippery customer. No known means of income but he lives well enough, moves in the right circles. When we start probing a bit deeper I think it may come out that he has connections to the underworld, possibly drug trafficking. So if you want my advice, I’d say you were well rid of him, Lady Georgiana.”