A Death in the Highlands by Caroline Dunford Read Free Book Online

I hope your stay is a pleasant one. I am Miss St John, the housekeeper. If there is anything I can do, please do not hesitate to ask. I’m afraid I will have to ask Rory, our butler, to show you to your room. Most of the male servants have been pressed into service marking the shoot. I believe it is quite an extensive area you will be covering.’ I was aware of Susan in the background, the flower tucked behind her ear, frantically cleaning the last of the steps.
    ‘Yes, dash it. I’m frightfully sorry I’m early, but I’m such a lousy shot I thought I should take the opportunity to walk the land in daylight before we all start, what?’ He laughed loudly.
    ‘It’s no trouble at all,’ I began, when the front door burst open startling Rory, who had been discreetly waiting in the background, as only a good butler can. Lord Richard burst into the hall. The two men shook hands and clapped each other on the back.
    ‘Rolly, my old school chum! Still making a fortune in chopsticks?’
    ‘Dickie, you old merchant-of-death, you!’
    Lord Richard’s face suffused with an unattractive plum hue. ‘Now, Rolly, old man …’
    ‘Jolly insightful of you to get onto that French gun business. Pity you didn’t tip a fellow the wink.’
    ‘Where’s your man?’
    ‘Parking the jalopy.’
    ‘Drink?’
    It was clear the gentlemen did not need my presence, so only pausing to cast a quick eye over the stairs to ensure Susan had done her job, I signalled to her to leave the hall. Rory had already vanished.
    I went through to the kitchen to check that suitable drinks had been laid out in the various parlours upstairs. A very dishevelled-looking footman assured me that Mr McLeod had ensured this had been done before they set out to check the site. He then left, declaring his intention of ridding himself of his mud before dinner, and wearing a decidedly wounded air.
    ‘I’m thinking he’s no love of our country,’ said the chef, grinning.
    ‘I think you will find he has no love of wearing it,’ said Rory from behind me.
    I jumped. ‘Do you have to move around so silently?’
    ‘Part of the butler training. Now, Euphemia, what was that all about?’
    I explained the stair situation. Rory listened frowning. ‘You’ll need to keep an eye on that,’ he said obscurely and headed out.
    The next few hours vanished as a thousand and one little tasks and forgotten things made themselves known. There would only be the three gentlemen for dinner tonight but, now it was more than family in residence, I knew Lord Richard would be unprepared to overlook any teething problems.
    Once I felt I had the situation under a reasonable semblance of control I retired to the housekeeper’s room, with the intention of making a list of what remained outstanding and what could only be done tomorrow. I took out a sheet of writing paper from my desk and stared at it for a few minutes. It was no use. Now I had stopped being busy I could not rid myself of the suspicion that Susan’s actions had been deliberate. I could tell Mr Bertram of my suspicions, but I quailed internally at the thought. I did not relish awakening issues from the past, especially as they had concluded so unfortunately. However … there was nothing for it, I would have to investigate by myself.
    By now, I reasoned, the gentlemen would be gathering for dinner and most of the staff caught up with the preparations. It would take only a moment to make my way to Lord Richard’s room and check all was in order. Much as I disliked the man, I felt I could not in conscience do otherwise.
    However, luck was not on my side. I had just gained the upper landing and was about to open Lord Richard’s door when I heard the sound of footsteps behind me and Rory’s voice explaining to the young bootboy when he was allowed on the floor. I darted round the corner only to find myself at a dead end facing a lone door. The footsteps continued. It seemed Rory felt it necessary to show the lad every