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I was silent for a long while after Tibbermore finished his tale. "I need to talk to this Cutmal Lundie," I said finally. "I suppose you must, sir," Tibbermore said, sounding dismayed, "But please be discreet. I assured Mayfield that I would keep her family secrets, but now you know them too." "They're still secrets," I said grimly, "Nobody will hear them from me. Do you know where Lundie lives?" "I'm afraid not, sir." I imagined that Mayfield would have forbidden Tibbermore from retaining such information. "No, of course not," I muttered, then added more loudly, "If he turns up here, let me know, okay? And I'll see if I can track him down anyway." "Very good, sir." I stood up and jammed my hat back on my head. Tibbermore rose politely in one smooth movement. I turned to go. Then a thought struck me. "Is Mayfield going to inherit this place, now that Lady Strowan's dead?" "I cannot say, sir," Tibbermore responded with more than a hint of ice in his voice, "I am not privy to the details of her Ladyship's will." "No, no, of course not," I said placatingly, "But, is there anybody else who could possibly inherit?" Tibbermore unbent slightly. "Mayfield's father was her Ladyship's only child," he said hesitantly, as if old memories were being dragged from a deep hole in his head, "But there is perhaps one other family member. Mayfield's elder brother, Cairnie." I raised my eyes to the ceiling. Now there was another individual to track down, one who might have a motive. "And where will I find this Cairnie Westwood?" I asked, a trace of exasperation in my voice. "I have no idea, sir," Tibbermore replied, sounding apologetic, "Nobody has seen Cairnie in decades. He ran away from home before Mayfield was even born. For all I know, he might be dead."
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Part 31