‘We do apologise for our late arrival,’ Oliver said in a grim voice. ‘Unfortunately we were delayed on the road on the way here. The constable was there with some men, clearing away a body. I’m afraid that someone has been murdered.’

‘Oh, not another one,’ Bartholomew said, then remembering his manners he very humbly shook the hand Oliver was offering him.

Immediate concern fell upon Kerensa.

‘What a dreadful shock for you, my dear,’ Jenifer said weakly.

‘Please, Lady Pengarron, do have this chair over here by Mother. Can I get you anything?’ Hannah said, bobbing a curtsy.

‘I’m quite all right,’ Kerensa said, taking the seat and smiling lightly to reassure the company and to stop Bartholomew who was bent on pulling the bell rope for Mrs Parkin to fetch goodness knows what. ‘I didn’t see anything. I stayed on my pony and said a little prayer for the deceased.’

‘Are you sure you are all right though, my dear?’ Oliver was at her side.

Jenifer halted the rush of over-protectiveness. ‘I think the experiences Lady Pengarron has undergone in recent times will have enabled her to cope quite ably with almost anything.’

‘Jenifer is right. Shall we talk of something else?’ Kerensa said firmly.

It was time for introductions and Oliver shook the hands of all the assembled company. Then Luke’s condition was asked after and reported, and the Drannock children waited, respectfully agog, to discover the reason behind this visit from the Lord and Lady of the Manor.

But first Oliver took Bartholomew aside and asked, ‘Did I hear you say “another one”? Have there been other murders of this kind?’

‘Yes, I’m afraid there have,’ Bartholomew answered. And the two men put their heads together so the women and children were spared the gory details.

‘Dear God,’ Oliver said. ‘I saw something of the kind the day I sailed away. How many have there been since then?’

‘This will make five, some men, some women. All lowlife, drunkards, prostitutes and the like, so no one’s been really that bothered about it. I must say I find it rather chilling.’

‘And so do I. It was assumed the three rogues who attacked Her Ladyship and Jack were responsible, but they’re tucked away in gaol so they had nothing to do with this one.’

‘Well, I’ve a belief it could be a sailor coming in and out of port. There’s a long interval between the murders, then usually more than one at a time. You see some rough types abroad in the town.’

‘I think we should keep an eye on our families until the villains are apprehended, Bartholomew.’

The youth was pleased and honoured to be taken into the confidence of the baronet, to be spoken to man to man, as one head of a family to another, almost as a friend, or…