“I’ve been out riding with Princess Elizabeth,” I said. “Now I’m going home again.”

She smiled. “She needs the company of some younger people like yourself. It’s not good to be stuck with us old dinosaurs all the time. She deserves a normal childhood, I feel.”

We were about to go our separate ways when a thought struck me. “Lady Peebles. Tell me about Major Padgett,” I said.

“Major Padgett? What do you want to know about him?”

“How he comes to be in his current position, I suppose.”

“What is there to tell? Been in royal service most of his life. Army man, of course. Distinguished military career before he went into the old queen’s household. Pally with King Edward when he was the Prince of Wales.”

“And what happened to him?”

“I don’t exactly know. I was not at court myself at the time. In fact I was preparing to be presented. But I gather there was some kind of scandal. All very hush-hush. I heard from someone that he’d had a nervous breakdown. Anyway, he was sent up here to recuperate and here he’s stayed. I must say he runs the estate most efficiently, but perhaps he’s the kind of man who can’t take any strain.”

I left her then and went to find Granddad. He was sitting on a wall in the shade and got up when he saw me, hastily putting his peaked cap back on his bald pate.

“Ah, there you are, love—I mean, yer ladyship. All finished, then?”

“Yes, we can head for home.”

“That’s good. This place gives me the willies.”

“You said Castle Rannoch gave you the willies.”

“So it does. I ain’t used to this kind of thing. Even the servants here are a toffy-nosed bunch. One of them asked me why her ladyship had brought a chauffeur up from London when there were perfectly good men wanting employment up here.”

“I suppose he has a point,” I said. “So what did you tell him?”

“I said her ladyship was being specially kind and giving me a chance for some fresh air, because I’ve had a bad chest. Which is true,” he added.

“So did you learn anything?”

“They were all talking about it,” he said. “Rumors flying like crazy in the tack room where we went for a cup of tea. Most people thought it was an accident, but someone thought the young man was a Russian spy or a German spy and that someone working for our government had finished him off. No suggestion as to who might have done the shooting. But one thing was clear: he wasn’t out in front of the group. Several of the beaters were there and they swore they always kept an eye out for shooters who wandered into potential danger.”