“Oh yes. Pops up and down all the time. He was staying with us at the house until a few days ago. I didn’t realize he’d come back.”

“He’s staying at Castle Rannoch now,” I said.

“I say, is he? I wonder why he decided to change his abode. I don’t think anyone in our party upset him and the food’s halfway decent and there’s plenty of booze.”

“He inveigled an invitation out of my brother, so he said. Even though he was damned rude about the place. Called it positively medieval.”

“Well, it is, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so, but then why go out of his way to stay with us?”

Gussie followed Hugo’s progress through the crowd. “Of course we all know what he’s doing here and where he’d like to stay, but he hasn’t received an invitation.”

“Where’s that?” I asked, immediately thinking of Balmoral.

“The Padgetts’, of course.”

“Padgetts?”

“Yes, you know. Major and Mrs. Padgett. They live on the edge of the Balmoral grounds. He’s the master of the estate or whatever the official title is. He’s been in the royal service for donkey’s years. He used to be rather important at one stage, one of the favorites of Queen Victoria and then King Edward. Now he’s more or less retired—they only bring him out on rare ceremonial occasions.”

“Oh yes. I believe I have met him. But why would Hugo want to stay there?”

“Because of Ronny of course, old thing. He has what the Americans call ‘hot pants’ for her. She’s not shown any interest in him but he doesn’t give up.”

“Oh, of course. Ronny Padgett,” I said, finally putting two and two together. “I met her at the aerodrome. She said her family lived up here, but I had never connected her with the major at Balmoral.”

“Well, she’s up here now. She comes and goes in that little plane of hers. Lands on the lakes, so hold on to your hat if you’re picnicking on the shore. She comes in awfully low.”

I laughed. At least Gussie was one of my social set. He was amusing. One knew where one stood with him. It was unfortunate that I wasn’t attracted to him. He’d have made a good catch and I might have enjoyed a luxuriously decadent lifestyle with him. I looked around. Darcy and the dark lady had now completely disappeared. But I did spot Constable Herries keeping an eye on things from the road above. I excused myself and made my way up to him.

“How are you, Constable?” I asked.

He touched his helmet. “Well enough, my lady. I’m sorry to hear about His Grace’s accident.”

“Nasty business,” I said. “I wondered whether you had made any inquiries about it?”

“Inquiries, my lady?”