'May I sit for a moment, please?' she whispered.
Sara Lethie, aware that all was not well, came swiftly over and from her reticule produced the smelling salts which she wafted briskly under Miss Marsh's nose.
Eyelids fluttered open, regarded the faces staring down at her. 'Where am I? What has happened?'
'You are with friends, my dear,' said Sara. 'And this is Dr Laurie - And here is your uncle -'
'Uncle?' Miss Marsh stared up at Sir Hedley, who cleared his throat and murmured: 'Well, my dear, what a to-do.'
At that she closed her eyes hastily and leaned back against the sofa.
By this time the polite guests were stricken in poses of mild curiosity, heads craned in the direction of this interesting tableau.
Sara was mistress of the occasion. She was used to dealing with the vapours of her female friends. 'I think it would be best if Miss Marsh rested upstairs for a while. Come, my dear.'
'Allow me to assist you, Sara dear.' Elspeth Stuart Millar sprang forward and with Vince bringing up the rear, Sir Hedley's thoroughly improbable niece was escorted out of the room.
Faro watched them go, followed by the curious glances and whispered speculations of the guests. The young woman was undeniably comely. Tall and willowy, with honey-blonde hair, Miss Marsh fitted admirably into that category Vince, so susceptible to female charms, in happier circumstances would have described as 'a stunner'.
At his side, Sir Hedley, aware of Faro's disbelieving expression, shuffled his feet and looked uncomfortable. 'Not really my niece, y'know. Can't remember her name. Lost her memory. Dare say it'll come back -'
Faro was saved further comment by the sonorous pounding of the dinner gong as the guests took their seats at the table set for fourteen. Only thirteen places were taken, but this fateful number passed without comment as the butler discreetly removed the extra place setting.
If any of the diners noticed the absence of Sir Hedley's niece, they politely ignored it as Elspeth Stuart Millar returned and reinstated her claim upon Inspector Faro. In reply to his question about the young lady's condition, he was told she was recovering nicely. Then Elspeth turned to more important maters, relentlessly pursuing possible scandals in the Royal Family on which Faro, even if he knew they were true, was unable to comment.
Across the table he watched Vince return and, with a nod in his direction, scramble in an undignified manner for a seat as far as possible from the Mad Bart.
The dinner party proceeded without further incident. All excellent courses were consumed, all excellent wines demolished. At last it was time for Detective Inspector Faro to give his talk -so eagerly awaited, according to Terence Lethie's introduction.
His audience knew little of police matters, and in deference to the ladies present, he considered that burglaries were a more appropriate topic for an after-dinner speech than the more bloody and gruesome murders he had solved.
He kept his speech short, aware of the soporific effects that good wining and dining were having on the assembly. Ten minutes later, he sat down to a wave of applause.
'Brave, bravo,' cried Elspeth at his side. And when the applause had subsided, she said wistfully, 'Perhaps you would care to talk to some of my poor unfortunates - the Society for Impoverished Gentlewomen. I know how greatly they would appreciate -'
Faro was saved an answer as Sara invited the ladies to withdraw and leave the gentlemen to their port and cigars. He was looking forward to that part of the evening, a pleasant relaxation. But it was not to be his.
The butler appeared at Vince's side. A whispered word and he was escorted from the room.
Faro watched them leave, followed by Sir Hedley. Guessing that his stepson had been called to attend the young woman upstairs, he was not kept long in doubt as the butler approached.
'Dr Laurie wishes a word with you, sir,'
Excusing himself and leaving Elspeth mid-sentence, he was escorted into an upstairs bedroom where the Lethies, Vince and Sir Hedley hovered anxiously over Miss Marsh.
Reclining on a sofa, she had been removed from her gown and was now enveloped in a lacy peignoir, presumably the property of her hostess.
Her eyes flickered open. 'It all comes back -' she whispered, and looking around the room, she struggled to sit up.
'Good thing too,' said Sir Hedley, eyeing the ancient ballgown that had been discarded on the bed. 'Mamma's gown from the Queen's Coronation - all I could find. Family heirloom and all that.'
'So this was the unfortunate lady caught in a landslide at Samson's Ribs,' said Faro.
'She was hit by a flying stone, knocked unconscious. Recovered, y'know, staggered along the road. Saw my door -'
'Your mistress,' demanded Terence anxiously. 'When is Her Highness arriving?'
Her Highness?
Faro looked across at Vince, remembering his stepson's fury at being called in to the home of his old enemy. And now it seemed that the injured woman had some connection with the Grand Duchess of Luxoria.
'Your mistress,' Terence repeated patiently. 'Where is she?'
Miss Marsh cried out and looked ready to swoon again.
Sir Hedley stared down at her. 'What are you on about, Lethie?' he said angrily. 'Scared the young miss out of her wits. Don't understand -'
Terence held up his hand. 'Listen to me. This young woman is the Grand Duchess's lady-in-waiting.'
'And her name is Miss Roma Fortescue, Sir Hedley,' said Sara, eyeing him reproachfully.
Miss Fortescue opened her eyes and struggled into a sitting position. 'I remember it all now,' she said weakly.
Take your time, my dear, tell us what has happened?' said Sara, gently stroking her hands.
'We are as you know on our way to Holyroodhouse, Her Highness was to meet her godmother there -'
Faro, listening, frowned. Strange that there had been no mention of this impending visit at the Central Office, where the Queen's movements were followed diligently, especially when she happened to be heading towards Edinburgh.
