[Inspector Faro 14] - Faro and the Royals

me most. Not only the first marriage to Mark's mother, which proves she could bear children, but what about the second to this nubile young woman? Could it be, do you think, that Sir Archie was impotent? That he knew it and that's why he was prepared, even eager, to make his stepson, who had a dash of the genuine Elrigg blood, his heir?'

'You could be right, Vince lad. That possibility had never occurred to me, and it's certainly an interesting one. Explains a lot of things.'

'Who else have we?' Vince looked down at Faro's notes lying beside his plate. 'You do this uncommonly well, Stepfather. You are to be congratulated on a masterpiece of clarity. Sergeant Yarrow will be grateful, I'm sure. Let's see...

'Hector Elrigg, the disgruntled archaeologist who believes that he was cheated out of his inheritance by a reprobate father. He would be my best bet, he has the most impressive motive, a wound festering over the years. I realise you haven't much in the way of evidence, but still - there may be something important we've missed.'

As Vince flicked back through the notes, Faro shook his head. 'You may be right, yet I have a feeling - no more than that - just a feeling that we're dealing with the dedicated historian who is keener on getting on with his work of digging the hillfort and the standing stones, than being laird of Elrigg.'

'Meanwhile, of course,' said Vince, 'we may have a number of dissatisfied tenants whose activities as well as their names are unknown to you, since there has been neither time nor opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation. I appreciate that distances to be travelled single-handed are somewhat daunting.'

And rubbing his chin thoughtfully, 'What about the good Dr Brand whose daughter drowned in the ornamental lake? If she was seduced by the laird, he would have good reason for killing him off.'

'But since you've suggested the impotence factor, the pregnancy fits in with the lover who was sent away in disgrace.'

'True,' said Vince. 'Then who are we left with? The unfortunate poacher, Duffy.'

'No, but I do think he knew something, or had seen something.'

'Perhaps he gossiped and was overheard?'

Faro agreed. 'Not a man of discreet habits, I gather from Bowden. Blackmail would be a profitable business for him.'

Vince consulted the list again. 'I think we can safely cross off the Reverend Cairncross in spite of his daughter's odd reaction to the Elriggs. And, as a victim, Miss Halliday.'

'I can't see any reason why she would want to murder Sir Archie,' said Faro.

'But there's always Miss Imogen Crowe and your latest foray into a different sort of crime. What was her motive for stealing the portrait?'

'It wasn't the portrait, Vince. It was Sir Walter Scott's letter.' Faro frowned. 'I keep going over that scene in Miss Halliday's kitchen. There's something there, if only I could remember. Something I saw.'

'It'll come, I'm sure,' said Vince soothingly. 'The only link I can see is that she is Irish and so was Philip Gray - But that's a bit tenuous.'

Vince was aware that he no longer had his stepfather's attention. 'What's wrong?'

Faro shook his head. 'Just an idea I've had.'

He was silent so long that Vince laid aside the papers and said: 'By the way, the carriage is coming for us in the morning. There's to be a Maytime pageant at Branxton, with a celebration of Miss Gilchrist's birthday among other things. There'll be floats, so I'm told, with the children performing scenes from history, a monologue written about the Battle of Flodden. What do you think, Stepfather?'

'Think?' Faro came back to him with a start. ‘I don't know,' he said lamely. 'What was it you were saying?'

Patiently Vince repeated the programme of the day's activities and Faro shook his head very firmly. 'No, Vince lad. Absolutely not. I'll save my energies for the festivities at the Castle. I just might have to have my wits about me then.'

Vince considered him. 'Anything you'd like to share, Stepfather? Some new observations?'

Faro smiled. 'Only when I can give them substance and that may take some time.'

Next morning, having seen Vince off, Faro was deciding how he could most profitably spend his day when Sergeant Yarrow arrived at the inn. After a perfunctory greeting he saluted Faro gravely and said: 'Sir, I owe you an apology.'

Faro smiled vaguely. 'Ah, you have decided to remove me from your list of suspects?'

Yarrow looked contrite. 'Dewar has just told me who you are, sir. I cannot tell you-'

Think nothing of it, Sergeant. It's the sort of mistake any policeman worth his salt might make. You are to be commended for that.'

Yarrow smiled wryly. 'It's the lesson we all learn, isn't it? First on the scene most often is the prime suspect.'

'And a stranger in the neighbourhood, too,' said Faro.

Yarrow held out his hand. 'May I take this opportunity of welcoming your assistance, sir? Anything at all you may have observed during your time here might be of considerable help to us.'

When Faro didn't reply immediately, Yarrow continued to regard him quizzically. 'You think Sir Archie was murdered? Political, maybe. Equerry to the Prince of Wales and that sort of thing?'

Faro remained silent, and Yarrow shrugged. 'Come now, sir, that is obviously the real reason why you are here. We do know something of your background -'

'Not in this instance, Sergeant. Such matters - crimes or political investigations, if you wish - in Elrigg are entirely the province of the Northumberland Constabulary or the Metropolitan Police, you know that. And Edinburgh City Police would have no right to interfere.'

Yarrow's eyebrows raised mockingly. 'I can hardly believe that a man as important as yourself would have been sent down here to investigate some missing paintings.'

'You must take my word for that. Let us say I was here on behalf of a very important client. That is all I can tell you, I'm afraid.'

Sergeant Yarrow looked thoughtful. 'I wonder if you have any ideas about Miss