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.I am sure that Grimshaw has some magnificent plants there if the rest of the garden is anything to go by’.”“Go on,” Anthony prompted.“What then?”“The orangery is in the direction of the estate office.We pass the ballroom, which has been shut up ever since I can remember, reach the gun room where, of course, we will look at the guns and pistols, then automatically walk into the estate office because it is next door.If Markham is there, it will seem quite natural that we should call in in passing.If he is not, we will find what we want.”“Excellent!” Anthony approved.“You are wasted in your present position.You should be head of the Bow Street Runners or take on the organisation of a national Police force.”“That is something that may happen one day.They have talked about it long enough,” the Marquis replied.“One thing is quite certain,” Anthony replied.“No one in Parliament will vote any money for a new service at this moment.”“That is true,” the Marquis agreed, “with the national debt standing at double its pre-war figure.”Like two small boys playing a game they set off to act the parts the Marquis had suggested.There were two footmen in the hall to hear them say that they were going to the orangery, but the Marquis had the idea that Travers might be hovering somewhere within earshot.The orangery was, in fact, just as he had expected.The flowers and plants his father had collected were all in good order, but, although the Marquis could not be sure, he thought that there were no new additions.The gun room in its turn was clean and tidy, but the sporting guns were out of date and the pistols almost ready for a museum.They did not stay long here and then, as they moved into the passage, the Marquis said in a loud voice,“While we are here, I want you to look at an old map of the estate that hangs in the estate office.It might show us where the Admiral’s border lies.”“I would like to see that,” Anthony replied.The Marquis opened the door.To his relief the office was empty, although there was a large ledger open on the desk with a quill pen beside it.It looked in fact, as if Mr.Markham had been called away unexpectedly.The Marquis went to the ledger and turning over the pages found it was the one what he wanted.All the expenditure for the last four years was neatly listed and it was exactly as he had seen it when it had been sent to him in London.He put the ledger under his arm and he and Anthony hurried back down the long passages that led into the library.There the Marquis sat down at his desk.“Now we shall see for ourselves,” he said, “exactly what has been happening.”He opened the ledger and turned back two years.“Here is the household,” he said.“And among the other names are Bateman, Cobbler, Wilkins, James and Nicholson.”“When is that?” Anthony enquired.“The beginning of 1800.”The Marquis made as if to turn back a page and then said,“I do not know when Cobbler, Wilkins and the other two left, but Bateman said he was short-handed before he retired, so we can start by seeing who replaced him.”He turned over the next few pages one by one until he came to the tail end of Markham’s neat writing.Then an expression on his face made Anthony ask quickly,“What have you discovered?”“According to the ledger,” the Marquis said.“Cobbler, Wilkins, James and Nicholson are still in my employment.“They have been paid regularly and their wages are listed month by month!”“Then Markham has been cheating you!” Anthony observed.“Exactly!” the Marquis replied, “and this is where I start my enquiries.Pull the bell!”The note of command in his voice made Anthony realise how angry he was.He knew if there was one thing that really infuriated him it was to think that he was being crooked or deceived in any way by those he trusted.Neither man spoke until Travers opened the door.“Tell Mr.Markham I wish to speak to him immediately!” the Marquis ordered.“Very good, my Lord.”Again there was silence and Anthony moved towards the window and, feeling the atmosphere was oppressive, he opened one of the long windows which, like those in the drawing room, led directly onto the terrace above the lawns.Then he turned back towards the Marquis.“Do you wish me to stay?”“Of course!” the Marquis replied.The door opened and Mr.Markham came in.It was obvious that he was apprehensive and the Marquis saw the fear on his face when he walked across the room to stand in front of the desk.“I have been looking at your ledger, Markham,” the Marquis began, “and I want an explanation as to why four footmen who are no longer in my employment are still listed here.”“It may have been remiss of me – my Lord,” Mr.Markham replied in a voice that shook, “but as the other footmen – I engaged in their place were taken on a temporary basis and received the same wages – it seemed unnecessary to change the names each time.”That was almost plausible, the Marquis thought, but he did not approve of such slipshod methods
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