‘Tee hee.’ Jazz smiled. ‘Can you imagine how she’ll feel when she does? She’ll be spitting! She’s blown her chance to join the aristocracy and have half the county kowtowing to her. It’s a social climber’s dream. No doubt she’ll try and worm her way back into David’s affections. I hope he doesn’t let her, after the way she treated him.’

‘I’m so glad for David. He seemed like a genuinely nice bloke.’

‘He is,’ agreed Jazz. ‘And, as Emily pointed out, as long as he keeps off the juice, he’s got the business contacts to take the estate into the twenty-first century from his days in the City. Oh, I do like the occasional happy ending, makes this sometimes thankless job of ours seem worthwhile. Right, shall we eat?’

Jazz warmed some ciabatta, and they shared the salad companionably.

‘What about Adele Cavendish and Sebastian Frederiks? I mean really, the proceeds of Hugh Daneman’s will should have gone to David Millar. Although I suppose he’ll have plenty one day,’ commented Miles.

‘Mr Jones told me Frederiks has handed in his resignation. He and Adele are very much together apparently, and they want to make a fresh start.’

‘Not surprised, after all that’s happened. Give them both a chance to get over Charlie.’

‘Well, at least this case, for a change, had a couple of silver linings.’

‘Yes. And . . . umm . . . for me too, actually.’

Jazz saw the colour rise to Miles’s cheeks.

‘Oh yes? What?’ Jazz knew already but she wanted to let him tell her.

‘Me and Issy . . . well, we’re,’ Alistair shrugged, ‘together, I suppose.’

‘That’s wonderful news, Alistair,’ Jazz responded warmly. ‘You know how I love Issy.’

‘Seems I do too,’ he said shyly. ‘People’ve commented we make an odd couple, but I don’t think we do. Yes, she’s louder than I am, and there’s no doubt she loves to mother me, but I rather like it.’ Miles smiled. ‘Don’t know whether it’ll last, but it’s going well at the moment. And we’re both very happy.’

‘And that’s all that matters. Coffee?’ Jazz stood up and put the kettle to boil on the Aga.

‘Thanks,’ he nodded.

‘The only thing I’d say, Alistair, is be very careful. I know you’re not both coppers like Patrick and I, but you will end up working together at some point. Need I say that it proved a disaster for us and our relationship.’

‘And dare I say that Issy is not an egocentric, arrogant jerk who wanted to prove his superiority over his more able wife at every opportunity?’

Jazz nodded graciously. ‘You may.’

‘Everyone knows he’s an arsehole, Jazz. He’s not well liked at the Yard. And you’ll be pleased to know that word got around about the Millar debacle.’ Miles shrugged innocently. ‘I’ve no idea who could have spread the fact that he got a right ticking-off from Norton.’

‘Thanks, Alistair.’ Jazz patted his hand. ‘You needn’t worry. I’m over it. It’s gone. Now, I’ve got something far more important I want to talk to you about. Let’s go back in front of the fire and drink our coffee.’