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Calloway’s going to tell your parents,” Daisy pointed out. “You’ll have to explain to them what it was all about. Now you’d better get to bed. Off you go.”
    Jemima left through the door to the landing, which Daisy had left open. As she closed it behind her, the handle rattled slightly.
    â€œThat’s what it was,” said Belinda. “That’s the noise I thought was chains. It must have been Mr. Calloway’s door
handle, and I should think what woke me up was when she came in through Derek’s door.”
    â€œShe came through Derek’s room?”
    â€œI think so. When I saw her, she was coming from that direction. Do you think he’s all right?” Bel started climbing out of bed.
    â€œYou just stay put, young lady, and do your best to go back to sleep. I’ll see to Derek.”
    Daisy wondered if she’d find her intrepid nephew cowering under the bedclothes. She should have known better. He was fast asleep, sprawled on his back, the bedclothes around his waist. She pulled them up around his neck, tucked them in, and went back to her own room.
    Alec was as fast asleep as Derek. Of course, he’d worked hard all week and had had the exhausting task of bringing her mother plus children and puppy from London to Brockdene. Yet before their marriage he would have awakened at the slightest sound of distress from his precious daughter. Daisy sighed. She supposed it was flattering that, even dead to the world, he relied on her to take care of Bel.
    Icy feet against his thighs brought only an indistinct mutter as his arm closed around her again. Feeling wide awake she started to try to puzzle out what Jemima had really been up to, and what it had to do with whatever was going on with the rest of the Norvilles. But in spite of the subject’s fascination, within a couple of minutes she drifted off.
    When Daisy and Alec went down to breakfast on Christmas Eve, only Miles was in the dining room.
    â€œYour two are off somewhere doing something deadly secret,” he reported, as they helped themselves from the sideboard.

    â€œNot outside, I hope,” said Daisy, looking at the rain beating against the window.
    â€œI think not. They took the pup out for a quick dash earlier, then apologized profusely to her for shutting her up again, so I suspect they’re in the old house. I suppose they’re to be trusted not to do any damage?”
    â€œOh yes, they’re good children.” Daisy sat down opposite the young man.
    â€œOn the whole,” Alec qualified. “You did warn them to be especially careful, I trust?”
    â€œI told them Father would beat them within an inch of their lives if anything was broken. I remember the time I … Ah well, that’s water under the bridge. It’s about the only thing that really gets his goat. The Rev was fulminating against Jemima this morning, but Father didn’t seem to care a hoot. I don’t suppose you know what that was all about?”
    Daisy exchanged a glance with Alec, whom she’d told about the night’s adventures.
    â€œI see you know all and are not going to tell me,” said Miles. “Ah well, I’ll worm it out of Mother. She was pretty annoyed about Jemima’s shenanigans. Jemima’s been sent up to wind wool for Gran. I was asked to present Mother’s excuses for not being here when you came down. She’s gone to consult Mrs. Pardon about Christmas frolics, the Pardon being expected to cooperate for once because there’s a ‘Lady’ in the house, with a capital L. Said Lady is breakfasting in bed, I understand.”
    â€œSaid Lady always does,” Daisy affirmed. “I hope Mrs. Pardon has assigned a maid to her full time. I’m surprised she didn’t bring her own woman.”
    â€œLady Dalrymple gave her maid Christmas off,” said
Alec, “assuming that Lord Westwood’s house would have plenty of