“This young lady can go and get them,” Inspector Watt said. “She’ll know what a lady might need.”

“Thank you,” Belinda said.

I needed no urging. I ran up the stairs and into Belinda’s bedroom. Tony’s body had been removed in the meantime and the bed had been stripped. It was hard to believe what we had seen. I looked briefly on the floor around the bed but saw nothing. Think! I was commanding myself. What could I do to help her? I went into my room and shoved her nightdress, dressing gown, hairbrush and sponge bag into her suitcase. Then in her own room I added her underclothes, then lipstick and powder. She’d want to look her best, wouldn’t she? I thought about changes of clothes but that might have been going too far. When I retrieved her handbag I opened it, quickly tearing off the solicitor’s address from the envelope of Belinda’s letter about the cottage, just in case I had to telephone him at some stage.

Then I ran down the stairs again.

“Here,” I said, offering the train case and bag to Belinda. DI Purdy intervened, stepping in to go through each item before he nodded and handed them to Belinda. “Nothing untoward there,” he said. “Right. We’re ready then, are we?”

“My cape,” Belinda said, not taking her eyes from me. “I need my cape.” As I retrieved it from the cupboard I felt a weight in the pocket, reached in and touched her car keys. Would they impound Brutus? If so, how would I be able to get around? In a split second I took the keys and shoved them into my pocket before I draped the garment around her shoulders, fastening the clasp for her as if she was a little child. She gave me a pathetically grateful smile.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “It will be all right. You’ll soon be back with us.”

I followed them to the front door. As DI Purdy escorted her down the flight of steps the other inspector came back to me. “It has just been brought to my attention exactly who you are, my lady,” he said leaning close to me so that we couldn’t be overheard. “Your connection to our king and queen. If I may make a suggestion, would you please go home as quickly as possible. The news of this crime will be in the papers before we know it and we don’t want any embarrassing publicity for the royal family, do we? If you go home now, I believe we can keep your name out of the papers.”

“Absolutely not, Inspector,” I said angrily. “Do you really think I would desert my friend in her hour of need? I’m going to do everything within my power to prove her innocence.”