Apparently not the story Ollie had been expecting her to tell, given she’d never in her life addressed him as “mister” anything. And the arch of his brow called her on it—though he turned said arch toward her alone so that Libby couldn’t see it. He might not approve of her decisions, but he wouldn’t take her to task in front of an outsider. “Miss Moon. How lovely to see you again. I had no idea you were coming home for the summer.”

She heard the accusation as clearly as she would the bells in St. Mary’s tower come Sunday. She could only hope Libby didn’t. “Lady Elizabeth needed a holiday. Didn’t you, my lady? And I told her there was no lovelier place in all of England than the Scillies.”

Libby didn’t look particularly suspicious. Just curious, which was nearly as bad. “Mr. Tremayne’s sister seems to be missing, Moon. Beth—she was staying here before us. It was her things we found. Do you know her? Well, of course you know her. I mean . . .”

Mabena’s heart might as well have stopped beating. Oliver knew, then? That Beth had vanished into thin air? She hadn’t counted on that either. She’d rather hoped she’d be able to poke around a bit without alarming him or his grandmother. Without shining a light on whatever secrets Beth had been hiding.

Hiding from him. From everyone here. When Mabena blinked, she could see those hastily scrawled words. “I don’t know what Ollie would say if he knew, but it wouldn’t be good. I can’t let him find out.”

Mabena hadn’t a clue what Beth didn’t want him to know. But still, it was a trust. And she’d not break it. Not now, at any rate, when the answers to Beth’s whereabouts could be simple.

She pasted on a look of mild concern that she moved between the two on the sofa. “Beth Tremayne is the Elizabeth who Mrs. Pepper was so put out with? But that makes precious little sense. What was your sister doing here for the summer instead of at her own home, sir?”

His nostrils flared the slightest bit at that sir, and he cleared his throat. “That is what Lady Elizabeth and I were just trying to discern—because clearly she was about something more than the holiday she said she wanted.” He motioned to the table.

Mabena frowned at it while she unpinned her hat. “What’s all this, then?”

Libby pushed to her feet. “There are a few other things I’d like to check too, in my room. I don’t know if they were Beth’s or just came with the house. Mr. Tremayne can tell you what we know while I look—and put away my microscope.”