Murder Most Royal

They had not always been happy, or to governments one thoroughly approved of, but you could not have everything.

The Queen wasn’t alone with Rozie for the rest of the day. Sir Simon was supposed to be bringing in the boxes the following morning, but she was relieved to see that Rozie arranged to do it herself. Rozie still had that set to her shoulders.

‘Did you learn anything useful?’ the Queen asked, without even making a pretence at opening the first box.

‘I think so,’ Rozie said. She explained how cold and evasive Flora had seemed about Chris Wallace.

‘She said his wife was close to the baroness, and that their children grew up together. But nothing about him being turfed out. She absolutely denied it. Then she seemed to get distracted by the poison garden.’

‘Is that still there?’

‘Well, no. Flora said she had to get rid of it because of the visitors. I can see why. Her brother nearly died of wolfsbane poisoning when he was little, apparently.’

‘The baron wanted it all dug up in a fury, even though his wife was fond of the garden.

’

The Queen was surprised. ‘How unlike Hugh.’ She thought a bit longer. ‘How very unlike Hugh. How interesting.’

‘How did you get on, ma’am?’ Rozie ventured.

The Queen pursed her lips, picked up the fountain pen on her desk and fiddled with the lid.

‘I was reminded of just how strong Ned’s childhood feelings for Ladybridge must have been. On top of that, Hugh ended up marrying Ned’s girl.

If it had been Ned who had killed his cousin all those years ago, it would have made sense.’

‘Lord Mundy drove away with Ned. They could have argued in the car,’ Rozie suggested, thinking it up as she went along. ‘And then . . . Could the baron have followed him to London?’

‘Only if a tenant, Flora, the vicar and an antiquarian bookseller were lying.’

‘It’s a very solid alibi.’ Rozie grinned. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am, I’m making up wild stories about people you know.

’

‘No, no. It’s useful to think through the possibilities. However, Hugh and his son are not on good terms from what I see and hear, despite what Hugh would like me to believe.’

‘He was distraught when Valentine ate the wolfsbane as a child,’ Rozie pointed out.

‘Yes,’ the Queen agreed. ‘But that was a very long time ago.’

‘But Lord Mundy’s been very supportive of his son. With the whole gay marriage thing. I mean, that’s really something.