‘I can’t believe that your father approved of his attitude.’

‘They were often at loggerheads about it, Mr Skillen.’ He flicked the reins and the horse set off at a trot. ‘I’m sorry that your visit was in vain.’

‘Not at all,’ said Peter, ‘I learnt a great deal. That was largely down to you, of course. Mr Oxley was less obliging.’

‘He’s still dazed by the shock of father’s sudden death.’

‘To be frank, I doubt if Mr Oxley is dazed by anything. He seems to be remarkably self-possessed.’

‘Father relied heavily on his judgement.’

‘He’s clearly a shrewd man but intensely private. One can’t say that about your brother. He’s more assertive and he relishes his role as the elder son.’

David pursed his lips. ‘Growing up with Edmund had its problems, I must admit.’

‘What does he do?’

‘He has an uncanny knack for buying and selling large estates,’ said David, ‘though I suspect that he may have another career in mind now.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Father’s death creates a vacancy and Edmund has always rather fancied himself as a Member of Parliament. Unlike me, he did actually go to the House of Commons to hear debates. When I’ve been in London, I always make straight for St Paul’s Cathedral.’

‘Would he be likely to win a by-election?’

‘He would if Mr Oxley was by his side. The family name would be a real advantage, naturally. Even voters who didn’t agree with Father’s views on reform nevertheless supported him. They’d stick by Edmund.’

‘On my brief acquaintance with him,’ said Peter, ‘I didn’t get the feeling that he was in the same mould as Sir Roger.’

David gave a dry laugh. ‘You’re very perceptive, Mr Skillen,’ he said. ‘Edmund would enter Parliament for his own benefit, not for that of others. I’m sure that he’s been saddened by the turn of events, but he’ll never actually show it. And his anguish won’t stop him taking full advantage of Father’s death. While the rest of the family is in torment, Edmund will be poised to fulfil a long-held ambition. There’ll be no holding him back now.’

As soon as they were left alone together, Edmund Mellanby wanted to know how Peter had been let into the house at a time when they most needed to be left alone. He was appalled to hear about the freedom with which his younger brother had talked about the family. Oxley was scathing.

‘The worst of it was,’ he said, ‘that he brought that untutored oaf, Hooper, with him. The man just sat there, fiddling with the sleeves of his coat and looking at Skillen as if he were a latter-day Messiah. Your father would never have allowed Hooper into the stables, still less into the house itself.’

‘What’s your estimate of Skillen?’