“I regret the necessity, madam, but I must do my duty,” Major Hartley said, moving a little up the stairs.

It was then that the Dowager laughed.

“I hope you enjoy it!”

She put out her hands as she spoke and pushed with all her might against the great oil lamp that had been illuminating her as she stood there.

Someone gave a scream, Carina thought it was herself, and she heard an oath come from one of the Policemen as they realised what was happening.

The oil lamp fell forward, hitting the stairs, and with a resounding crash exploded and burst into flames!

The flames leapt upwards between the Chief Constable and the Dowager, who stood watching and laughing at the consternation below her.

For a moment Carina thought that she looked young and lovely as she must have been when she first came to The Castle as a bride.

Then, in horror, Carina saw that behind Lady Lynche there were more flames, and a cloud of dark smoke came belching from the corridor.

She put out her hand to clutch Lord Lynche’s arm to draw his attention to what she had seen and even as she did so someone behind her shrieked,

“The Castle is on fire – on fire, my Lord!”

It was a footman who had come running helter-skelter into the hall from below the staircase.

Someone yelled,

“Water! Get some water! Where is the fire engine?”

In the distance Carina heard a bell begin to toll and she realised that it was the fire bell.

She looked up again at the top of the stairs.

The Dowager had disappeared, but now the smoke in great thick clouds interspersed with leaping yellow flames was running along the ceiling and creeping along the floor to the banisters.

She felt Lord Lynche take her arm and propel her forcibly towards the door.

“Your mother – ” she tried to say, but they were moving too quickly for her to get her breath.

“Hurry!” he urged. “I must get you out of this.”

He hurried her through the hall.

Servants appeared from every direction, footmen, housemaids and the kitchen staff. Carina realised that they would have been having their evening meal and therefore were all on the ground floor.

The noise was incredible, the bell, tolling louder and louder as they reached the outer door, seemed almost deafening.

“There is a fire engine on the estate,” Lord Lynche shouted to one of the Policemen. “You will find it in one of the stables.”

“Very good, my Lord.”

He rushed off followed by several of the footmen.

Then Carina found herself outside with the cold air brushing against her cheeks.

“Dipa! Dipa!” she cried. “He is in bed in the nursery!”

“I will get him,” Lord Lynche replied.

He turned and left her as she reached the foot of the steps and she saw him plunge back into The Castle.