We arrived back at the castle without incident. Sir Jeremy was not in evidence but Major Padgett brought me to Chief Inspector Campbell, who listened with a disbelieving scowl. “Are you sure this wasn’t just an overactive imagination?” he said. “After hearing about yesterday’s little incident, maybe?”

“Quite sure,” I replied coldly. “If you’d care to send out some men, I’ll accompany you and show you where the bullet struck the rock. Then you’d know this wasn’t girlish hysteria. And you could retrieve the bullet and see if it matched the gun used in yesterday’s murder.”

“Good God,” he said, looking at me as if I was a sweet puppy that had suddenly revealed itself to be a dangerous wolf. “Very well. I’ll arrange for men and a car.”

We retraced our steps and I was delighted when I was able to locate the rock, point out the scar where the bullet bounced off, and finally see them find the bullet. They were suitably somber as we drove back. So was the chief inspector. Deferential, almost. And he remembered to call me “my lady” this time.

Sometimes it’s nice to be right.

Nobody seemed to know where I might find Sir Jeremy, which was annoying. He had told me I could leave messages for him at the inn in Braemar where he was staying, so I decided I’d have to do this. As I was crossing the hallway the gong sounded for luncheon. I was definitely hungry by this time, but I couldn’t face polite conversation with the queen and her ladies, so I slipped out of the front door. There was nothing else that could be accomplished at Balmoral. I was just on my way to find my grandfather and the car when I encountered Lady Peebles, coming up to the front door with a basket on her arm.

“Hello, my dear,” she said. “Was that the luncheon gong I heard already?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Dear me. How time flies.” She brushed back a wayward strand of gray hair. “What a shocking business yesterday, wasn’t it? I hope you’ve recovered.”

“Thank you. I’m very well.”

“That poor boy,” she said. “Not one of us, of course. What was he doing here, anyway? Who invited him, do you know?”

“He came as part of the house party from Castle Rannoch,” I said, “but I had never met him before. A school friend of Binky’s, I understand.”

“Then that’s not so bad, is it?” She smiled easily. “I mean, it’s easier to take if it is not someone with whom one is intimately acquainted.”

“Of course,” I said. I looked down at her basket. “You’ve been picking flowers.”

“Yes. Aren’t they lovely roses? The queen is so fond of the white ones, so I enjoy bringing her some when they’re just opening up. And where are you off to?”