'The really exciting part is that we've been asked to stay the night at the Castle after the party. I'm so looking forward to that,' Olivia put in. 'Apparently Mark wouldn't hear of his dear Miss Gilchrist travelling all that way back home.'
'Great-Aunt says he has a very special surprise for her...'
Anything concerning the Elriggs was of great interest and this indeed might prove a rewarding turn of events, thought Faro. As Vince's glum expression betrayed a certain lack of enthusiasm, he realised that any change of plans, or possible new evidence of mayhem at the Castle, upset his own wish to get Faro away from Elrigg as speedily as possible.
At the moment, however, Faro's chief concern was how he could escape the embarrassing situation whereby his real identity would have to be revealed and explained to Mark and Lady Elrigg.
Suddenly he became aware of a figure hovering behind him.
'Excuse me, sir.'
It was Dewar. 'Could I have a word, sir?'
As the constable strode purposefully in the direction of the bar, Faro followed him with a sinking sense of disaster. Long ago he had realised the truth of the maxim that murders, like troubles, seldom come singly.
He was not to be disappointed.
'Miss Halliday's cottage has been broken into, sir. She's been badly hurt. Sergeant Yarrow found her lying at the bottom of the staircase when he went to collect his quarantine papers for the authorities. He reckons she probably disturbed the burglar.'
'Have you any idea who...?'
Dewar shrugged. 'Sergeant reckons it might have been Duffy.'
'Duffy? But how could -'
'Well, Dr Brand says it might have happened late last night, before the accident.' Dewar shook his head. 'I don't agree, sir. Duffy was ready to lift anything that ain't nailed down, but I've never known him resort to breaking and entering.'
'Was there a motive?'
'What kind of motive would that be, sir?'
'Did she have anything of value?' Faro said impatiently, remembering a few nice pieces of furniture, antiques but hardly things with an immediate resale value for a poacher. 'And how did he get in?'
Dewar looked astonished at this remark. 'Bless you, sir, no one round here ever locks their doors. We don't live in that kind of society. We all trust one another.'
In Miss Halliday's case badly misplaced, thought Faro, as Dewar's naivety confirmed his original assessment that the constable's reaction to real crime would be shocked disbelief. Such things were unthinkable in Elrigg.
'Where is Miss Halliday now?'
'Dr Brand says she's concussed, got a nasty shock, that's for sure. The minister's wife will look after her till she's better. We're a caring society, here, sir,' he added defensively in case Faro should be in any danger of thinking otherwise.
He had indeed read Faro's thoughts. Very caring indeed, especially when some person hit her on the head and left her for dead.
'Did she have any difficult pupils?' he asked.
Dewar's eyes widened in horror at such implication.
'I get your drift, sir. But you're wrong. The children are all obedient and law abiding, sir. Things might be different in big cities like where you come from,' he added stiffly. 'But here the bairns are brought up from their earliest days to be God-fearing and to respect their parents and other people. Besides, Miss Halliday's loved by everyone; she's taught several decades their three Rs. Now if you'll excuse me, sir.'
With an air of silent reprimand, Dewar saluted him gravely and marched out of the inn.
At the table he had just left, the twins were preparing to return to Branxton. Waving them off, the air heavy with instructions for the following day's festivities, Vince smiled: 'Well, that's that. What shall we do now?'
'A walk, perhaps.'
'A good idea. What did your local constable want?'
Faro told him about Miss Halliday and the breakin.
Vince, adept at reading his stepfather's mind, sighed deeply. 'So that's where we are going?'
Faro nodded eagerly. 'Bearing in mind that doors are never locked in this law-abiding community, I thought we might avail ourselves of a little private investigation.'
Vince's sigh was despairing this time. 'You never give up, do you, Stepfather?'
'She was very kind to me. I owe her that much. And I'm very curious. I'd like you to see her paintings too. They're very impressive.'
'How far is it?' Vince demanded, in a voice notable for a lack of enthusiasm, Faro having temporarily overlooked the fact that his stepson felt the same way about amateur painters as he did about amateur thespians.
'We'll do it in about forty minutes, there and back,' he said encouragingly.
Vince thought about it and yawned. 'Forgive me, Stepfather, if I don't come with you. Truth is, I'm devilish tired. Out till the wee sma' hours delivering a baby.'
Faro smiled sympathetically. 'I've noticed that they always seem to choose times when it's least convenient for your social life.'
Vince nodded, stretching his arms above his head. 'Must be on form for the long day tomorrow. I think, if you'll excuse me, I'll take a bath. Bowden assures me hip baths are readily available. He even has a special room put aside for such ablutions. See you at dinner, eh?'
Setting off for Miss Halliday's cottage alone, Faro felt a little lonely, his spirits cast down. When he got too close to a case and became enmeshed and thoroughly baffled, it was almost always Vince who could be relied upon to stand back and view it coolly from a different and often enlightened angle.
If only Vince had been free of other obligations this time. He shouldn't really feel like this, he told himself sternly, he had guessed that his stepson would not be a great deal of use on this occasion, involved with the Gilchrists and their great-aunt's birthday celebrations.
He sighed. The sooner he got used to the new regime, the better for everyone. It was what he had always wanted for Vince, to see him happy with a girl like Olivia. What he was
