‘There you are, darling.’ Cecelia Highton-Smith stood up as Alice-Miranda and Matron Bright appeared at the office door. ‘I was just going to come and find you.’

‘We have to go back to camp in a minute,’ the child said.

A beeper went off in the matron’s pocket. She pulled it out and popped her glasses on the tip of her nose. ‘Oh, excuse me. That’s Mr Mobbs again. He’s probably ordered something from the television that he wants me to pick up from the post office.’ The woman chortled. ‘He really can’t help himself.’

‘See you tomorrow, matron,’ Alice-Miranda said.

‘Yes, dear, see you tomorrow.’ Marigold gave a wave and bounded away.

‘So, did you had fun with your oldie?’ her father asked with a wink.

‘Yes, Daddy.’ Alice-Miranda’s eyes twinkled. ‘Mr Freeman is lovely. He lived here on the estate when he was a little boy but he said that his family left when he was fifteen. He wouldn’t tell me any more. His daughter’s a detective. We met her yesterday when she pulled the minibus over.’

‘What was that, darling?’ Cecelia gasped.

‘It’s all right, Mummy. The bus had been stolen –’ Alice-Miranda began.

‘Stolen! This just gets better and better.’ Cecelia shook her head.

‘No, Mummy. It wasn’t stolen any more. It had been returned but the detective didn’t know that and so it was just a silly mix-up.’

Ed Clifton frowned. ‘Freeman. Freeman … That name rings a bell.’

‘He’s very old, Uncle Ed. Much older than you, of course. I think he knew Grandpa when they were boys,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘But when I asked him what Grandpa was like, he said he couldn’t remember and he got a bit cross.’

‘Oh, Freeman’s probably quite a common name,’ said Ed.

‘Matron Bright said that you’re going to sort out Granny’s art collection,’ Alice-Miranda told her uncle.

Ed nodded.

‘Your uncle has a huge job ahead of him. I should have taken care of it years ago, but it’s worked out far better to have Ed do it,’ Hugh said.

‘Where is it?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

‘Downstairs in a vault in the cellars. We were just checking in here for any paperwork,’ Hugh explained. ‘It’s a pity you have to go back to camp. Perhaps I could ask Mr Plumpton if you can stay? Ed could walk you back later.’

Alice-Miranda shook her head. ‘Sorry, Daddy. We have rock climbing straight after lunch and, besides, I wouldn’t want anyone to think that I was getting special privileges. We’re here again tomorrow – maybe Uncle Ed could take me to have a look then.’

‘That sounds like a good idea,’ Cecelia agreed.

Alice-Miranda said goodbye to her parents and uncle and skipped off to join her friends at the front of the house.

Meanwhile, outside, Caprice was at work.

‘Mr Plumpton, do we have to have partners for rock climbing?’ she asked.

‘I presume you will,’ the man replied.

‘If we do, can we swap partners from yesterday so that everyone has to learn to rely on everyone else?’ she said sweetly.

Mr Plumpton looked at the girl. ‘That sounds like a very good idea, Caprice.’

A smile spread across her face. ‘I’d like to have Millie as my partner to show her that there are no hard feelings about what she did to me at the pool yesterday.’

‘Caprice, that is very gracious of you,’ the teacher said. ‘What a mature thing to ask.’

Millie’s stomach knotted. She wondered what Caprice was up to this time. Once Caprice had turned away, she walked over to the teacher.

‘Mr Plumpton, I – I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,’ Millie whispered.

‘Millie,’ the teacher admonished, ‘Caprice has offered you the hand of friendship. I’m surprised at you.’

Caprice came and stood beside the girl. ‘Come on, Millie. Rock climbing will be fun. I’ve done it before so I know how everything works.’

Millie gulped. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

Alice-Miranda rushed down the front steps and rejoined the group.

‘Sorry, Ed, but Cee and I have to get going. I’ve got some meetings out of town but I’ll be home tomorrow night and Cee will be back for the anniversary fair on Saturday,’ Hugh Kennington-Jones apologised and glanced at his watch. ‘I wish we could stay to show you around.’

‘Where are you off to?’ Ed asked.

‘I’m going to a farm to look at their organic vegetable-growing processes and Cee’s off to a health retreat with one of her girlfriends. I think I dodged a bullet with that one. Don’t fancy kale and watercress soup, do you?’

‘Nope,’ Ed grinned.

‘I heard that.’ Cecelia looked up from the far desk, where she was checking arrangements for the fair. ‘I’m sure my trip will be very … refreshing.’

‘That’s one word for it,’ Hugh said, a cheeky glint in his eye. ‘Anyway, Ed, I’m not sure how my phone reception will be – last time I was there it was pretty hit and miss, and Cee’s break is a “no technology” affair. If you need anything just call Dolly and she’ll be able to get in touch with one of us.’

‘I’ll be fine, Hugh. It will be great to have time to go through things,’ Ed said.

‘Come on, darling, we’d better get moving,’ Hugh called to Cecelia.

Ed stood on the front steps and waved as his brother and sister-in-law drove away. Thin wisps of clouds fanned out across a dazzling sapphire sky. Ed wished he’d brought his paints with him – the light was magnificent.

‘Well, old man, it’s time to lay some ghosts to rest,’ Ed whispered.