'... But we should have been informed of any change of plan,' the Superintendent continued. 'That is quite unforgivable. After all, our discretion can be relied upon. Who do these foreigners think they are, anyway, keeping Her Majesty waiting?' he added, ignoring the fact that, as he had pointed out, the Grand Duchess was a relative.
'Here -' Turning to the desk he seized a fistful of papers which he flourished under Faro's nose. 'You'd better find her. That's your job.' And as he was leaving: 'I take it that you have some ideas of where to start?'
Faro had a few but none that he would care to discuss with his superior at that moment.
'I think we should play for time, Faro. Presume that Her Highness is, er, on a clandestine visit... The message sent ahead could have gone astray. What do you think?'
Faro stifled a smile. The Superintendent could occasionally display an endearing romantic turn of mind. He was searching for a suitable reply when Mcintosh sighed wearily, indicating the interview was at an end.
'Your responsibility, Faro. Be it on your head.'
And Faro didn't care a great deal for the significance of that parting shot either. A chill wind sharp as an axe blade touched the back of his neck as he crossed the corridor into his office, where he earnestly considered the contents of a highly secret file marked 'Her Majesty the Queen'.
Under Luxoria, there was mention of a proposed visit, but no final date had been decided. It simply said that the Grand Duchess would arrive by ship at the port of Leith. Travelling incognito - as befitted a private visit - under the name of Lady Moy, she would be accompanied by her lady-in-waiting Miss Roma Fortescue. There was no mention of any coachmen or equerry travelling with them.
Faro's dismal thoughts were interrupted by Constable Reid.
'There's a lady come to see you. She's in the waiting-room.'
'Show her in.' Faro's immediate hope was that this was Miss Fortescue bearing a photograph of her mistress, and he was somewhat taken aback to find that the visitor was Lady Lethie.
As they shook hands he said: 'I'm glad to see you here, I was about to come out to Aberlethie. How is Miss Fortescue?'
'Much improved.' She smiled. 'We have persuaded her to accept our hospitality until - until things sort themselves out. She will be more comfortable with us, and now that her memory has returned she does not feel she can impose any further on Sir Hedley. Although, of course, his place is more adjacent to Holyrood.'
Her frown indicated that the decision had been difficult. Faro thought that it was all too obvious to anyone who had ever set foot - or nose - within the walls of Solomon's Tower.
As she spoke she opened her reticule, but instead of the photograph Faro now hoped was the reason for her visit, she took out a dainty lace handkerchief and patted her nose.
'Fortunately, I can provide her with items from my wardrobe, we are of the same size - until her luggage arrives -eventually,' she added, but Faro felt there was little hope in the word or in her expression as she said it.
'Miss Fortescue still has no idea of what might have happened to her mistress?'
'Not the slightest. We do try to keep her spirits up, Inspector, we try to get her to look on the bright side. But it is extremely hard, very hard indeed. She is prone to the most gloomy thoughts.' She paused before adding: 'She could, of course, have gone to Holyrood. I think that was on her mind at one point. But as you see, that would not do at all. She is most anxious that there is no fuss, as she calls it. The Grand Duchess would be most distressed when she, er, arrives.'
'But, surely - look, Lady Lethie, I have it on good authority that the Queen is on her way down from Balmoral. Once she arrives, then Miss Fortescue must go and tell her what has happened.'
'Oh, so Her Majesty is coming,' Sara Lethie smiled. She looked oddly relieved by this information. Terhaps you will let us know immediately she arrives. I do hope it will be very soon as we are due to go to France for a family wedding -'
And Sara Lethie stood up and drew on her gloves. Conscious of her air of relief, he decided to spare her the painful details of his interview with the Prime Minister.
'I do hope you will forgive me intruding upon you in this way, Inspector. I'm sure you are a very busy man, but as I was coming to Edinburgh today - one of my committees, you know - I decided I must try and see if there was any further news I could take to Miss Fortescue.' She paused for breath.
'She really is most anxious. In fact, we all are. Everyone is pretending that there will be a perfectly logical reason for the Grand Duchess not arriving, but after the accident -' She shuddered.
'How well did you know Miss Fortescue?'
Sara Lethie looked startled by the question, but only for a moment. She managed a nervous laugh. 'Not at all really. But the Fortescues have been friends of ours for - oh, generations. Roma's father is a court official in Luxoria. They have served the Grand Duchy since the eighteenth century when they followed Prince Charles Edward Stuart's father into exile.'
She looked at him earnestly. 'You will keep us informed, Inspector - when you have any further news.'
'Immediately, Lady Lethie.'
At the door she turned. 'Do you think this could be the work of, well, some foreign conspiracy?'
'That thought had not occurred to me.' So she wasn't aware of the unsound marriage and the possibility of a romantic assignation. 'Are you suggesting that
