"I'd suggest you make a quick sketch of the body while it's still fresh in your mind," said Oswald to Adrian as they left the latter's room. "I can verify details. Then we'd better get some sketches of the stairs before we check his room."

They went on to the landing so that Adrian could make his sketches..

Adrian nodded and closed his eyes for several moments. After some time to bring the details back to memory, he sat down about halfway up the stairs and began to draw. "I'd rather they'd left the body until I were done, just to make certain there weren't any clues in the position of the body that my memory misses. Too late now, though."

Then Oswald excused himself with the words, "Be right back, old boy," and disappeared into the Print Room.

Back in the drawing room, Selina's eyes lit on the Rector's little group. "Dr. Marsden," she stammered. "The -- the cross. I don't want it. I never wanted it. I don't know where it is. I don't want to see it again. You know what to do with it. Please just -- do whatever you do."

"Where is it?" asked Lucinda. "Did your husband have it?"

"Who else could?" Selina answered. "I didn't take it from him; I walked away. I just want it to go where it belongs."

Zap appeared in the doorway, looked around in obvious confusion, and came straight to Josette. "What's going on?" he asked. "Did I miss something?"

Will answered. " Douglas has taken some sort of tumble down the stairs. It seems he's badly injured. We're... waiting to hear more." He did not mention Colin's vague accusations. "My sister is rather traumatized, by the whole evening, certainly. We were just talking about getting her a sedative."

"Probably a good idea," Zap agreed. "Is there anything I can do?" Something Selena had told him long ago started nagging at the back of his mind. It seemed currently relevant, somehow, triggered by something Will had just said, but he just couldn't bring it to conscious thought.

Josette gave both Will and Zap a puzzled look. Well, she thought, perhaps Will was trying to spare Selina's nerves by suddenly being ambiguious over her husband's...condition.

As the others decided what to do with Selina Dr. Marsden walked over to Colin.

"This seems very bad," she told him quietly. "The Laird appears to be indisposed," she said without a trace of humor in her voice. "And neither Selina nor Mr. St. Pierre are in a position to keep people from starting to panic. And that is what will happen if there isn't someone who seems to be in control of the situation," she told the former Laird. "Colin.. you need to take charge here. Please," she said quietly. "At least until Garreth can sort everything out legally."

Colin turned and looked at her blankly for a moment.

The Rector, who had come back into the lounge, came up to him too.

"Colin, you must. We can support you - but we need you to show what you're capable of."

Colin stared at him for a moment. "You realise what you're asking, Andrew? I could have killed Douglas ... God knows, I had reason enough."

The Rector did not flinch. "It could have been any one of us, Colin. And I trust you to act with that in mind."

Again Colin hesitated, and then he nodded. "Very well. Sandra, take Garreth and ... Miss Tawney, is it?... with you. Go to the library and get the Cross. And seal Douglas ' desk. That's where the Will and all his papers will be. It will need to be checked through carefully, but not tonight. Rector, can you find Shona MacKenzie, the housekeeper, and ask her to come here? I don't want to have any more dealings with that English butler than I have to."

Will said, in a rather cool tone, "We would be obliged. Selina is upset enough as it is. A panic... does no one any good." He looked at the Rector. "You are certain he was murdered, then? It couldn't have been... an accident? Those stairs are steep, and the lights dim."

"The doctor is just coming," said the Rector cautiously. "He will be able to tell you more, I'm sure ... "

"Oswald... Mr. Skeffington-Nottle will be able to make a reasonable assessment," Sandra said as she moved towards the library door. "He's had experience dealing with such matters before. I can verify that," she said as she waited for Garreth and Miss Tawney to join her before going into the library.

Mabel Tawney, more for something to do than because she felt she would be really useful, joined Dr. Marsden at the door leading to the library.

Garreth shook his head and followed Sandra to the library. He was keen to see the body and the circumstances about it, but was more concerned with ensuring Colin's innocence in the matter. He gave his friend a nod of encouragement as he left.

Dr. Campbell overhedard the last part of the conversation. He walked over to Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown. "Madam, I am sorry to inform you that your husband is dead. I regret your loss." He said quietly.

Selina nodded mutely, wiping her face with her lace-gloved hands. She knew she ought to ask to see Douglas 's body, but she couldn't, could not, make herself do it. Will knew, and doubtless the rest guessed: of all the terrors assailing her over the past hour, the worst had been that Douglas would turn out not to be dead after all.

Leaving the recent widow to be consoled by her brother, he stepped toward the Rector and Sir Colin. "Gentlemen, I'm afraid the medical evidence indicates that Mr. MacKenzie-Brown was poisoned. The after-effects of the poison led to convulsions which occurred at the top of the stairs, causing the decedent to pitch himself down the stairwell, and breaking his neck. Since the constable is unavailable, we'll need to conduct any investigation into the circumstances of Mr. MacKenzie-Brown's poisoning ourselves.

"First, we'll need to inventory the household's assortment of poisons. The evidence indicates cyanotic poisoning. It can be commonly found in rat poison or perhaps weedkilleers, although I'm not certain of the latter.

"Then, I suppose we must conduct interviews, to see whether anyone observed anyone placing a foreign object in the victim's food or drink. However, this could have been done while the lights were out and the brandy poured over the pudding."

The doctor took a deep breath, and awaited a reply to his suggestions.

Will had taken his seat again, and when Dr. Campbell extended his condolences he put his arms around Selina consolingly. He listened gravely to the talk of poison and convulsions, and the almost offhand comment that the constable was 'unavailable.'

"I'm sure we'll all cooperate fully," he said. "It's hard to imagine a murderer among us, though..."

Dr. Bannister had emerged moments after Dr. Campbell, moving toward his wife, but he had heard Will's words and winced outwardly for a moment.

"And yet it is true." David said. "Undeniably so, made to look like an accident, but far from one. That implies aforethought, and malice."

He strode over in the direction of his wife.

Patience reached for her husband, taking his hand in hers. "It is awful." She leaned in to press a chaste kiss against his cheek. "You should look into it further." Her voice dropped lower. "It is terrifying to think that there is a murderer here among us. Be careful, love."

Her gaze swept the room, settling upon the young widow. "Perhaps there is another way I can help," she murmured.

"I don't suppose one of you gentleman might have a hankie Selina could use?" Josette asked, eyeing the door anxiously, "Doctor...we thought perhaps a sedative and bed for Selina?"

Zap immediately pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Selina. It was bright gold with green polka dots matching his coat.

Campbell nodded at Josette. "If Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown feels its necessary. Sit down madam."

Campbell rummaged through his bag and pulled out a small bottle of seditive tablets. "Have you had much to drink, madam?" He inquired of Selina.

"Half a glass of wine with dinner," Selina said dully, "and a shot of brandy after -- after -- "

"I gave her the brandy, Doctor," Will said. "She was clearly in shock. It was no more than a shot."

"That's fine, madam." The doctor interrupted kindly, not wishing her to re-live the moment. "Take two of these tablets with some water." He instructed.

Lord Eversham, from near the fire, where he was holding his sister wrapped in one arm, spoke, saying,

"Doctor, I've only one problem with your collecting all this data -- namely that you yourself are a possible suspect. For that matter, at least in means and opportunity, so are the Skeffington-Nottles, the Bannisters, the Rector and his wife, and even the Rector's nephew."

"So are we all," said the Rector.

"Quite right, yuir lordship." Campbell agreed. "As is everyone who was in the library, begging yuir lordship's pardon. However, I have a duty to preserve evidence, as I'll no doubt be required to give testimony at the inquest with regard to the cause of Laird MacKenzie-Brown's death."

"Really," Will said. "That little boy? I know he's upset about his pet, and I can't say as I blame him, but honestly... murder over such a thing? And what motive could the Skeffington-Nottles have had - or half the people here? Douglas was unpleasant, but if unpleasantness was a motive for murder, most of the world would be six feet under, don't you think?"

Josette gazed at Lord Eversham in disgust, "Why I think it's just ghastly of you to point your finger at a child over something as treacherous as murder!"

"Whatever we do," said Lucinda, "we should always do it in pairs - and in a pair that has no reason to trust or aid the other one. Or threes. That way we can verify whatever anyone else does. - act as an independent witness, if you like. It isn;'t a perfect method but ... "

"It's all we are likely to achieve tonight," said the Rector. "The snow is coming down heavily again - I think we will be strandsed here for the night."

"There are plenty of rooms," said Colin. "I'll have the housekeeper make some beds up." He flushed slightly. "Someone had better act as my sheepdog too ... perhaps, Eversham, you'd take on the task?"

"And perhaps Mrs Bannister and I can help put Mrs MacKenzie-Brown to bed?" suggested Lucinda.

Patience nodded. "I would be happy to help."

"I'll come along. Selina will need a friendly face." Josette offered tactfully, feeling she shouldn't be left in the hands of strangers at a time like this.

"Oh, dear," Selina quavered as she stood up to go, the doctor's dose in one hand and Zap's particolored handkerchief in the other. "At this rate I'll have half the castle! But, if it's not too much trouble, could someone stay until I'm asleep? I -- I don't want to be alone. A maid would do, if that's all right."

"I know you do not know me, but I would be happy to stay with you," Patience offered softly. "I have little offer to the investigations, but I am good at listening and staying quietly with those who need company." She smiled gently.

Selina found a smile somewhere and put it on. "That's ever so kind, Mrs. Bannister. Thank you. I think I'm ready to go now -- unless I have to -- to answer questions -- or anything."

"There's plenty of time for that," Willie said. "Right now, you need your rest." He helped her up. "Thank you, ladies, Dr. Campbell."

"Questions can most certainly wait until later," Patience agrees. "Why
don't you go on and I will be up shortly to stay with you." She looks at Will. "I know you'll want to help the investigation. I'll bring tea up, and stay with her." She smiles then.

David put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "My wife is wise in these matters, given the fact that she is the only person I know who can do a bedside manner in a steaming jungle. You and I, Will, can help with the investigation. My wife can see to Selina's needs."

"We ought to work in pairs who don't know each other," Lucinda said firmly. "If you and Mr St Pierre go in quest of tea, I'll take Mrs MacKenzie-Brown up to her room. Perhaps Mary, you could come with us.Or perhaps you want to stay ... " She looked significantly at the lost, silent figure of Brian Shea, curled up in the window seat.

"I'll join the tea quest," said Colin MacKenzie. "Eversham, are you coming? We can get beds made up too - I think if we can all get to sleep soon, what we need to do will seem clearer in the morning."

"I'm much obliged," Will said. "I know she'll feel better when this is all resolved. We all will..." He kissed Selina on the cheek. "I'll check in on you later, Seelie, but I think Mrs. Bannister is just what you need right now." He turned back to the room at large. "So... what do we do now?"

Zap scratched his head. When he'd played Murder at the country estate of Julius Sheepsbedd, it had all been very simple: deal out the cards, whoever got the Ace of Spades was the murderer, everyone went about their normal business, the Murderer found a way of being alone in the room with his victim, pointed at the victim and said "You are dead." Then everyone continued about their normal business until it was discovered someone was missing...and then, once the "body" was found, Julius would put on his hypothetical deerstalker and set to work interrogating the "suspects," investigating and cross-checking alibis, leaving no stone unturned.

He wished Julius was here now. Even though this was real...

But...

Alibis.

"Shouldn't we figure out where everyone's been and what they've done all evening?" he said aloud.

Josette looked quickly up at Zap, for it had not gone unnoticed by her that he'd been missing since she'd encountered Mr.Barfard...In fact she'd been quite worried by his absence.

"Perhaps each of us should give an account of his or her movements." Dr. Campbell considered, then offered "I arrived with the rest of the guests presenting wreaths. I waited in the main hall, heard MacKenzie-Brown's speech. Before adjourning to the library, I spoke briefly with Lady Amelia, then entered the library. I left the library to retrieve my medical satchel after the servant was injured by the flambe. That about sums up my movements prior to MacKenzie-Brown's death."

"Just a moment, MacKenzie," Eversham said, hoping to stem Colin's increasing impatience. "I should address the Doctor's question.

"Allow me to introduce myself, first. Eversham. A pleasure to meet you -- I only wish the circumstances were otherwise.

"Now, for my own part, I planted myself near the fireplace in the hall during the presentation of the wreaths -- moved into the library with our host. Stood near the hall door during that ceremony, until the lights came on, then I took an armchair, and waited for the room to clear.

" Douglas stormed out, and I went to find my sister in the hall. We strolled together in here ... and that's all there is."

He was about to move off, when he turned back, and said, "May I suggest, too, that Mrs. Bannister and Miss Sinclair attend Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown in her room? Then, I recommend that we divide into trios to search the Castle. It is just possible that we are all innocent -- the lack of motive on some parts has already been pointed out. Eighteen persons, six groups of three, two groups per floor.

"Any thoughts?"

He waited a moment for a reply, a model of patience, though it was evident he was thinking about moving on to join MacKenzie without.

A tentative hand raised. "Ah...I'm Marcellus Arthur -- just call me Zap. I've been with Mademoiselle Bellesur most of the evening, and then a, ah..." He hesitated. "A little while ago I went for a, a walk, and I just got back. Just what are we searching for, exactly?"

"At the moment," said Colin, "we're not too sure. But we need to find out what was used to poison my cousin.

"As Mrs Bannister has offered to organise tea for Mrs MacKenzie-Brown, I would still suggest she comes with us to find Shona MacKenzie," he went on. "And Mrs MacKenzie, who has been below stairs all evening, will be very useful in establishing the movements of those servants who were present, and who prepared food and drink, and when. With her help we may be able to eliminate most - if not all of the staff.

"As for searching the castle, I'm afraid I see little point in it at this juncture. What on earth would we be searching for?

"The murder happened here - probably in the library. If someone used poison, they are likely to have it on their person - and I doubt - if it was one of the residents here in the Castle - that they willl have left traces in their room that could be discoverable. All a search would do is to disturb people's personal possessions to an unnecessary degree.

"I imagine the doctors will need to carry out further enquiries concerning the body and other traces. Perhaps the people who remain here could establish their movements, and someone could note them down. I also think it would probably be useful if someone can locate the plates Douglas ate off, the glass he drank from. That might show traces of poison too."

In the time that people were in the Print Room, Quinn produced several sketches. Two showed different angles on the original positioning of the body, as best he could reconstruct, with approximate distances noted where he could fill them in. One more had the exact location of the pile of vomit relative to the door to the Tartan Room and the top of the staircase.

As the doctors left the Print Room, Adrian, who had completed his sketches, questioned them: "Let's assume that he was poisoned then, though - that means we're looking at something that takes about an hour to act, I think. Any ideas what that might be and still produce the symptoms he showed?"

"Not offhand." Campbell admitted, "Although I'm a GP, not a toxicologist. However, if we take Lord Eversham's advice, I'd ask for two of the guests to accompany me to examine the wreathes."

As the doctors and the Rector left the Print Room, Quinn went up and joined Oswald and Ewan MacKenzie, who had been left to guard the body. He then had time to make several drawings of his dead cousin.

Sandra opened the door to the warmer Library and moved towards the pillow where the cross had been left. "There must be a safe in the house, yes?" she asked Garreth.

"I believe so, although Colin has never vouched-safe its location to me, nor was there ever a reason to do so," Garreth explained.

Davis walked carefully down the stairs, first to the library to look for the cross or the pillow, and then to look for Garreth Warren.

He found the pillow in the library, exactly as it had been left before the ceremony with the piper and the pudding.

There was no sign of the Cross whatsoever.

" Davis ..." Dr. Marsden said as she came across the room towards him.

Then she noticed the pillow. "Where's the cross?" she asked, looking at Davis , then glancing around the room.

Davis made an effort to speak more clearly to the Englishwoman. "I dinna know, Doctor Marsden, I was sent tae mak sure it was secure, which it does nae seem tae be. The doctors upstairs are thinkin' 'twas murder.

"The last I saw o' the thing, 'twas here on this pillow. That was before the excitement wi' the piper and the pudding."

"Good gods..." Sandra looked at Mabel and Garreth with a worried expression. "I wonder... if someone took it in the confusion. And what else they may have done..."

"I don't suppose it could have been jostled onto the floor?" Mabel asked doubtfully. Just to be sure, she started hunting around on the floor under the table, near where the pillow was lying.

"So they believe dear, departed, Dougie the lamented, late, Laird doesn't have the bauble?" Garreth asks. It's obvious that he's either been hardened to deaths, has fallen into a black humor, or doesn't care for the MacKenzie-Brown. Or perhaps a bit of all three.

"Damn," he says. " Davis , I have your word you don't have it?" Garreth asks, the words seeming to pain him. But the barrister in him was starting to ask questions. He trusted Davis , but a court wouldn't see that.

"You do. Would the Captain care to search my person to assure himself that I am not hiding antiquities?"

"Your word is fine, Sar'Major," Garreth said with a grin. "But, yes, I might ask someone else to do that for your sake."

There was no sign of it on the floor ...

Not finding it there, she began a more extensive search in widening circles out from the blue velvet pillow, including not only the floor but the tables and other furniture, under and between sofa cushions, and the like.

There was, alas, no sign of the Cross anywhere on the floor.

"Stop..." Dr. Marsden told Mabel. "Please... don't touch anything. Your search could disrupt any clues we might find. Leave everything as it is..."

Mabel Tawney had managed a fairly extensive sweep before Sandra stopped her and she had been in an excellent position to see, looking towards MacKenzie-Brown's desk, that at least a couple of papers had fallen off the desk and become wedged underneath - although they would only be visible at floor level.

She opened her mouth to say something ... then shut it again. As she continued her search for the cross, Mabel made her way around to the desk, and under cover of searching around and beneath it, yanked the papers out and glanced at them, shielding the action from the others, for the moment, with her body.

She saw the name of the Pinkertons Detective Agency and a New York address on an envelope - complete with a New York stamp. There was probably time to secrete the document in her bosom without anyone seeing it - or she could declare it to the others in the room.

Mabel did neither of these things, however. She was a bit nettled at Dr. Marsden's insistence that she not continue her search for the Cross, but on the other hand, she didn't feel a letter from the Pinkerton Detective Agency had anything to do with her. Therefore she let the papers fall to the floor in front of the desk, not far from where they had previously been, and stood as Dr. Marsden approached the desk.

She was currently kneeling by the desk. "I'm not touching anything, I'm just =looking,=" she said in an annoyed tone. "How we're supposed to find the Cross without looking for it I'm sure I don't know!"

Sandra frowned as she realized how much of the room Miss Tawney had managed to disturb, but just gave Garreth a resigned look rather than make an issue of it.

Sandra looked at Garreth. "The will.. We have to check the desk," she remembered. She walked over to the large wooden desk to one side of the room and grasping the bottom lip without touching the handle tried to open the main drawer to see if it was locked or not.

It was locked, and there was no key in the keyhole.

"It's locked and the key isn't here," Sandra announced to the others in the room. "I would guess Mr. MacKenzie-Brown had the key on him when he..." She shrugged a little helplessly.

"Well, then I suppose we should put two people on guard here until the key can be found or the desk opened," Garreth suggested.

"The Doctors didnae look for keys, just antiquities. There's so much to do. Miss Tawney, ye' micht consider offerin' to record the statements, if Sir Colin or Doctor Campbell wants ye' to."

Miss Tawney nodded. "I'd certainly be willing to do that."

"We should try to determine when 'twas last seen," Davis cointinued. "I'm afraid I dinnae recall if 'twas on the pillow when I was summoned or no', and I was nae in the Library after that. And someone should be askin' Rendell o' it. Someone else." His face soured slightly at the thought.

"Doctor, I was alwa' taught tha' whatever o' value cam' oot o' th' ground was the property of the crown. Now, I'm not a soldier now, but it's not right to be stealin' from the King. If I can help, especially if ye' need tae talkit tae any of the villagers, let me know."

"Of course, Davis . At the least, we should search people's luggage as they leave the island if we haven't found it by then," Sandra suggested as she looked around the desk.

"Ye micht need tae arrange for the museum tae involve the local constabulary, or perhaps they'll interested Scotland Yard if the antiquity is as valuable as ye' say. It may be that they can arrive on The Pride and search anyone leaving. Ye'll ken it best, but we can try tae contact the mainland after the weather lets up.

"Have ye found the workmen who did the digging? I dinnae recall seeing any sitch activity, but if 'twas recent, I could've missed it."

"The digging had been somewhat recent, but it was hard to tell... It had rained at least several times since the digs had happened. And it was only tonight I found out MacKenzie-Brown had his people digging." Dr. Marsden pondered the issue. "Possibly some staff here at the castle had done the digging. We can ask in the morning."

There did seems to be something on the floor, however, immediately in front of the desk - a folded letter. It was perhaps a little odd that no-one had noticed it earlier.

"Oh! Garreth.... look at this!" Sandra bent down to pick it up, then stopped herself. "Wait... my gloves are over on the table near the fire," she said, straightening up. "We shouldn't handle anything important without gloves on, I think."

Davis , his hands in the white gloves of his best uniform, reached down and picked up the paper.

He spread it out under a lamp on a side table, where everyone could see it.

It was from the Pinkertons Detective Agency - a New York address. It was an invoice for work carried out for Mr Douglas MacKenzie-Brown, an invoice for the sum of two thousand dollars. It was marked PAID IN FULL.

"I wonder what Mr. MacKenzie-Brown had detectives finding out for him," Mabel said. "If what we saw of him this evening is any clue, it was probably something unpleasant he could hold over somebody's head. Perhaps we should flourish this about at a strategic moment and see if anyone twitches."

"Perhaps we should contact Pinkerton by radio and trunk line and determine who they actually investigated," Sandra countered "It's been my past experience that scaring people in situations like tonight's just leads to more dead people," she said dryly.

"I suspect a verra dry answer tae the question will turn up once the desk or th' safe is opened. I cannae imagine the great man paying two thousand dollars and no' having a full report on file.

"It could be business or personal, o' course. Given wha' he's been like in the few months he's been on Varrisay, 'twould be easy tae imagine tha' he had people wha' didnae agree wi' him."

Sandra looked thoughtful. "We should secure the key to the desk tonight, then. All the keys in fact. And ... we need to tell Colin the Cross is missing, too." She looked at the others. "A dead Laird, a missing antiquity, and a letter from a detective agency. Why do I get the feeling this won't be easily unravelled?" she asked wryly.

"Agreed. I can contact them, well... It's very early Christmas morning in New York ," Garreth thinks out loud. "I'm not sure we can contact them right away."

"Even if you did, are they likely to tell you anything?" Mabel asked. "I'd think a detective agency would be rather chary of giving out information like that."

"It's all in presentation, my dear," Garreth assured the musician. "And perhaps we can use the Skeffington-Nottles for a bit of professional courtesy," he suggested.

After the discussion in the drawing room, Patience, Colin and Eversham all went to the kitchen and spoke with Mrs Shona MacKenzie, the housekeeper. She agreed to make sure all the servants who hd been in the library and the lounge were accounted for. She suggested that those who had been off-duty, and those who had been below stairs all evening should take over forthwith, which was agreed. She promised to question those who had access to the lounge and library - as well as others who had been above stairs at the relevant time, and let them have her answers by the following morning.

The rooms were then made up - so the room allocations were as follows:

First floor
Green: Mr. C MacKenzie
Yellow: Mr. Arthur
Oak: Mr. Quinn
Tartan: Mr. MacKenzie-Brown
Rose: Mrs. MacKenzie-Brown
Violet: Miss Tawney
Blue: Miss Belesur
Chinese: Dr. Marsden
Teak: Lady Amanda Bellemore
Four-Poster: Emma Sinclair
Print: - the body of Douglas MacKenzie-Brown
Chestnut: - Vacant
Amber: - Vacant
Orange: - Vacant

Second floor
Spruce: Mr. Warren
Tapestry: Dr. Campbell
Bonaparte: Mr. St. Pierre
Elephant: Major Bastable
Corner: Mr. Shea
Landscape: The Rev. Mr. & Mrs. Brown
Wedgwood: Lady Amelia
Mahogany: The Rev. Mr. & Mrs. Bannister
Ivory: Lord Eversham
Robert Adam: Mr. & Mrs. Skeffington-Nottle

Service was a little rough and ready - but no-one was in a state to mind.

One thing Mrs MacKenzie was able to establish - if MacKenzie-Brown had been poisoned, it must have been done to his individual food and drink above stairs. It appeared that the mulled wine bowls had been drawn from a great saucepan on the range, which below stairs staff had sampled too, and the leftovers of food that had been brought down from the library (those that had survived Lucinda's actions with the tablecloth) had likewise been eaten. The plates and glasses had not yet been cleared from the library - that had been about to happen when Mrs MacKenzie had received word of the death (one of the footmen who had discovered the body with Rendell had brought the news downstairs, as he had helped the stricken butler to his pantry), and that had thrown everything into confusion.

Mrs MacKenzie had not had acccess to sedatives, but she had had an infallible method of dealing with shock - she had dosed Rendell with whisky and hot sweetened tea, and he was now sleeping this off in the butler's pantry - Mrs MacKenzie deemed he would be available for questioning mid-morning.

A housemaid helped Patience carry the tea up to Mrs MacKenzie-Brown; Lucinda had escorted her upstairs and helped her to undress before putting her to bed. She was already sleepy, but welcomed the cup of tea that Patience brought; Patience and Lucinda stayed with her till she slept, and then went back down to the drawing room.

Garreth, Sandra, Davis and Mabel had rejoined the others in the lounge, and had told them about the missing cross (although not yet about the invoice - they had agreed to hold back that revelation until they had hopefully learned more). The desk had been sealed, and a footman placed to mount guard on the room until the morning. However, it was agreed that Dr Bannister and Dr Campbell should take possession of any plates or glasses that could have been used by the deceased for examination.

They were able to choose the plate quite easily, as it contained the remains of half a goose leg and some uneaten Stilton. There were three possible glasses in the area of the table where Douglas was remembered as standing, and the Doctors carefully removed all of these for analysis. All contained a slightly sludgy residue (the speices from the mulled wine) but, in addition, one appeared to have a couple of small darks bits that could be seeds.

Oswald and Adrian rejoined the others in the lounge, and people went on discussing where they had been in the library when the lights went out - and earlier movements. When Colin and Eversham returned to tell them where they were sleeping, everyone retired - with patrolling outdoor servants guarding the floors and the downstairs. Colin also announced that Mrs MacKenzie would make available a small kitchen for any necessary forensic work the doctors would be able to carry out (and a footman with a clean bowl was sent to collect the vomit).

End of Chapter 8

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