‘Lady Rose says you might want to begin by making some frocks for yourself.’

The next day, Miss Friendly began to work, the sewing-machine humming under her clever fingers, stopping occasionally to caress the rich cloth. As she worked, she began to search her mind for everything she knew about the Tremaines.

Perhaps she had forgotten something that might help Lady Rose’s fiancé with the investigation.

Harry called on Rose that evening. He listened carefully while she told him about the blacksmith’s son. ‘I’ll tell Kerridge. He might have followed the Tremaines to London. I would like to speak to this woman myself. I will go to Apton Magna tomorrow.’

‘That will not be necessary. I have engaged her as a seamstress. She is here.’

‘How did that come about?’

‘She was so poor and so hungry. Besides, she will be of use.’

Harry thought of his rescue of Phil. How alike he and Rose really were. He wanted suddenly to tell her that they should start again, that perhaps they could deal very well together, but Rose had risen to ring the bell and ask a footman to fetch Miss Friendly.

She came in and sat down timidly on the very edge of a chair. ‘I am Captain Cathcart,’ Harry began, ‘and I believe you have supplied Lady Rose with some very interesting information about the blacksmith’s son.’

‘Only that he and Dolly were very much in love. I believe they used to meet in secret. You can’t keep much quiet in a village. The rector complained to the blacksmith and the blacksmith gave Roger a terrible beating. That was just before they took Dolly to London.’

‘Miss Tremaine gave Lady Rose a note saying she was running away. It is possible that she knew where this Roger was and was going to join him. On the other hand, he could have killed her. What sort of fellow was he?’

‘Very strong. Curly black hair and quite tall. He told someone in the village that he was running off to London.’

‘Would it be possible to find a photograph of him?’

‘I shouldn’t think so, sir. I cannot remember anyone in the village having a camera.’

‘I’ll get Kerridge on to this,’ said Harry. ‘Thank you, Miss Friendly.’

She curtsied and left.

‘You should not have risked going to Apton Magna without telling me,’ said Harry.

‘How could I tell you? You are never here.’

‘I do have a telephone, as you well know.’

‘I do not like not having the freedom of a man,’ said Rose. ‘You are able to visit Scotland Yard any time you like and find out the latest developments.’

‘I could wish you were more conventional for your own safety.’

‘One could hardly call you conventional.’

‘True, but it is different for a man.’

‘I sometimes feel like cancelling our engagement and marrying Sir Peter.’

He glared at her in outrage. ‘That would be a marriage in name only.’

‘As this is an engagement in name only,’ retorted Rose.