Suddenly, Fraser Buchanan turned white, and his head dropped to the table. The doctor tried desperately to revive him, but William knew it could only be a matter of time before he confirmed that the chairman was dead.

Mrs Buchanan sobbed as she knelt down beside her husband and took him in her arms. James burst into tears, a child once again. From a distance, William studied the faces of those seated at the chairman’s table. His eyes moved slowly around the rest of the family as he searched for clues, quite forgetting he was on holiday. Not all of them displayed grief, and two of them didn’t even appear to be surprised by what had taken place. The dining room door suddenly swung open and Franco came rushing back in clutching the doctor’s bag. He was followed by two young ratings carrying a canvas stretcher.

William found himself instinctively getting up from his place and walking across to the chairman’s table to see if there was anything he could do to help.

‘We don’t require your assistance, Chief Inspector,’ said Hamish Buchanan as the ratings gently lifted his father onto the stretcher. ‘You have no authority aboard this vessel.’

An unprompted and unnecessary comment, was William’s first thought, which made him wonder if this tragic event might not be quite as straightforward as it appeared. He recalled The Hawk’s advice when investigating an untimely death: Listen, listen, listen. If you give people enough rope, sometimes they’ll hang themselves. However, William knew Hamish Buchanan was correct, and was about to return to his table and reluctantly mind his own business when Angus Buchanan intervened, saying, ‘Unless I give him that authority.’

‘I think you’ll find, Angus, that I’m now head of the family,’ countered Hamish, glaring at his brother.

‘I shouldn’t have to remind you, Hamish, that I am now deputy chairman of the Pilgrim Line, and this tragedy has taken place on one of the company’s ships.’

Both men continued to stare belligerently at each other, until Hamish said, ‘Perhaps we should seek Dr Lockhart’s opinion.’

‘Your father has suffered a massive heart attack. As we all know, it wasn’t his first.’

William couldn’t help feeling that the doctor’s words sounded a little too well rehearsed. Even more strange, he showed no sign of grief at the death of his old friend, as if he were a professional onlooker, no more.

‘As I said, we have no need of your services, Chief Inspector,’ prompted Hamish, turning to his aunt for support. But she didn’t reply immediately.

‘I think it might be wise to allow the Chief Inspector to carry out a routine inquiry,’ said Flora, struggling to compose herself in her new role as the grand dame of the family. ‘We wouldn’t want anyone to suggest that the family was involved in a cover-up.’

No one contradicted her.

Even Hamish remained silent as the body of the late chairman was carried out of the dining room by the two ratings, accompanied by the doctor and Mrs Buchanan.