“We wouldn’t dream of leaving, Sheriff.” Charlie stepped out of the shadows to stand beside Mummy. “We haven’t had this much fun in ages. Usually it’s quite a bore coming here but I must say I’m really glad that I did.” And he turned to glance at my mother. I had seen that look before and therefore I was not surprised when she said to me, in a breathless voice, “You won’t mind if I don’t join you in that horrid little cottage tonight, will you? I think I need the protection of a nice strong man.”

“Does Mr. Chaplin count as a nice strong man?” I asked. “He’s rather small.”

“But wiry, darling, and he has such lovely eyes. Like a spaniel I once owned. So deep and trusting.”

“And I see you don’t mind abandoning your own child to whatever monster might be prowling around out there tonight?”

She patted my arm. “Oh, darling. You don’t really think that, do you? It had to be Stella, didn’t it? She and Cy had already had one tiff this evening. She lost her temper and clobbered him in a fit of rage. Didn’t mean to kill him, of course, and then put a candlestick in her own bed to make it look as if someone was trying to frame her. She always was a quick-witted child.”

“What about your maid? What do I tell her?”

“You don’t have to tell her anything. She’s my maid. She sees nothing and thinks nothing. I’ll tell her myself if it upsets your prudish side. Besides, I believe she came up to dinner in the servants’ hall and I presume she hasn’t been allowed to leave.”

She headed in one direction, to pass on the information to her maid. We headed for the front door. Belinda fell into step beside me. “I don’t want to walk all that way in the dark,” she whispered. “Couldn’t one of those strong men drive us? I’m scared we’d get savaged by an antelope or something.”

“I don’t think antelopes go around savaging people,” I said, “but I must admit I’m not too keen to walk there alone either. I’ll ask the sheriff it we can be driven.”

Darcy was standing within earshot. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You don’t need to ask the sheriff. He’s gone off to question the staff. I’ll walk with you.”

“But will you be all right walking back alone?” I asked.

He smiled at me. He really had such a lovely smile. “I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, but . . .”

He moved closer to me. “Georgie—do you really think there is a murderer lurking in the undergrowth out there? It’s obvious to me that one of us must have killed Goldman and my money is still on Stella Brightwell.”