“That’s the spirit, my sweet,” Mummy said. “Of course. You go into town and enjoy yourself. I’ll make a list of things to buy.”

We went into the house and Mummy sat at her pretty little secretary desk, scribbling at a list that got longer and longer. “Oh, and fireworks,” she chirped. “We must have fireworks, don’t you think? And masks? Do you think it should be a fancy dress do? Or just carnival masks?”

“Aren’t you going a little overboard?” I asked, picturing a day ahead of me of trying to find these items in a town I didn’t know.

“Nonsense, darling. What’s the point of a party if you don’t go overboard?”

I sat on the sofa watching her, admiring her. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a wonderful way of shaking off life’s little problems like water off a duck’s back. Nothing seemed to upset her. I just wished I had inherited that trait. Then I noticed that while we had been at the villa, someone had delivered the morning papers. There it was—the big, black headline, English Peer Found Dead in Swimming Pool. My eyes scanned down the article. Then I looked up, frowning. Lady Groper had said she’d found out about her husband’s death from the morning papers, but in this particular article there was no mention of the blow to the back of Sir Toby’s head or anything about him bleeding to death. I went through the rest of the papers. Again no mention of details.

“Here you are, darling.” Mummy waved a long list at me. “Just a few things to pick up in town. I’d better get busy making telephone calls or we’ll have no food, no ice and no guests.” And she was off, yelling instructions to servants.

Franz was summoned to bring the motorcar to the front door. But as I came out, a policeman stepped to block my way. “Excuse me, mademoiselle, but you must not leave.”

“Must not leave Nice,” I corrected him. “I’m not leaving Nice. I’m going shopping.” And I showed him the list.

He looked very worried. “I do not think my chief would want you to go into the town alone. It would be too easy for you to board a train or the boat of a friend and thus escape.”