When Bernie had gone, Harry telephoned Lady Glensheil. ‘That man who left your tea party with Lady Rose yesterday,’ he said. ‘Who is he?’

‘Oh, that must be the catch of the Season, the Honourable Roger Sinclair, Lord Cherm’s eldest son. Captain Cathcart, I am sending you a cheque for finding my jewels and exposing that dreadful woman.’

After Harry had finished talking to her, he replaced the receiver and sat staring bleakly into space. He had an awful feeling he was losing Rose.

Becket had gone to survey the new apartment. Daisy lay listlessly in her hospital bed. She was grateful to the earl and countess for having got her a private room, but at that moment she would have welcomed the company of a general ward.

The door opened and a nurse said, ‘Visitor for you.’

Bernie entered the room. Daisy looked at this stranger. He was tall and thin with black hair and a sallow, clever face and a beaky nose and long humorous mouth.

‘I’m Bernie King,’ he said, drawing a chair up to the bed. ‘I work for Captain Cathcart. He asked me to call on you and see if you need anything.’

‘I would like some books,’ said Daisy. ‘The ones Lady Rose has left for me are a bit too clever. I would like some romances.’

‘I’ll get them to you. Now, how are you?’

‘Pretty awful. I keep thinking about the baby.’

‘You’ll have others.’

Daisy shuddered. ‘Not if I can help it. Don’t let’s talk about me. Let’s talk about the case. What’s been happening?’

Bernie told her all about Thomson, the lady’s maid. Then he told her how he had been asked to follow Lady Rose and keep an eye on her. He described the trip to Richmond and how he had hidden in the rumble.

Daisy began to look animated. She pulled herself up higher on her pillows. ‘Oh, Gawd,’ she said. ‘The poor captain. Rose does get tired of him not turning up to take her places.’

‘They’re going to a fancy dress ball tonight. Don’t worry. The captain’s going as well.’

‘Wait a bit. Does he think this lady’s maid might have done those murders?’

‘Could be.’

‘But where would her brother have come into it?’

‘This Thomson might have persuaded the brother somehow. Say, he called on Dolores for money and she got tired of him and threw him out. Thomson hears about the will leaving everything to him. She encourages him to call again. But this time he finds his sister dead. Stunned, he does what Thomson tells him, takes some jewellery. Thomson then tells him later that they can pin the murder on Lady Rose. She finds out about Madame de Peurey. They both go to Paris. Jeffrey is sent out to follow Rose. Madame de Peurey is killed and Thomson herself, maybe dressed as a man, maybe not, tries to push Lady Rose in the Seine and leaves that note.’

‘I wish I were out of here. I used to be Lady Rose’s companion before I got married. I miss being with her. What about you? How did you come to be working for the captain?’