** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1

Who done it 2/?

"Welcome to Marsden Manor Ladies and Gentlemen and we hope you'll find the weekend not just entertaining but that it will help bring you closer together as a team." The man in a starched white shirt and dress suit said as Jean, Laura, Robbie and James stood in front of him in the lavish entrance hall exchanging amused glances. "Mrs Montgomery will show you to your rooms and Alistair will ensure that your bags are brought up. In your rooms you'll find your costumes for the weekend which should be worn for all activates including tonight's dinner which will be served at 8pm. Also in your room you'll find more details about your character please read those as they include instructions for the evening."

"Is he for real?" Laura whispered as they took their keys and followed the elderly woman now leading them to their rooms.

"He won't be for long. I think he's the butler so he's not going to last long." James smiled as the ladies were each shown to their rooms and he and Robbie were guided to two at the other end of the corridor.

Looking around the room as the heavy door closed behind her Jean smiled. For all her agreement with Robbie that the chief constable had a bloody cheek she was quite looking forward to the weekend.

"Ok Lady Veronica let's see what you wear for formal dining." She said quietly approaching the wardrobe in the corner of the room and opening it. "Oh I know this weekend was going to be worth the hassle."

Lifting the midnight blue dress from the rain she ran her fingers over the fine boning of the bodice which stopped at hip level and lead to a straight ankle length skirt. On a hanger beside it hung a faux wrap and a small bag with a necklace and earrings both with large blue stones. Smiling again the closed the wardrobe and moved to the bed lifting the crisp white envelope from the pillow.

"Now what have you got to tell me" She whispered taking the card from inside and reading it;

"Sebastian will make attempts to engage with Lady Veronica throughout the evening to talk about their relationship. You must remain aloof and resist his attempts to get you alone. While Suzanne Le' Qua will try to goad you with comments designed to illicit negative reactions you must remain dignified at all times in a way that Lady Veronica would considering fitting to her social standing which is also the reason she largely ignores the Cornel knowing his reputation his reputation and considering it unbefitting of his rank. Toward the end of the evening you must get Sebastian alone to talk about your relationship a conversation which may or may not be over heard."

"Well you just get more interesting Veronica if I was the detective this weekend you'd be right at the top of my list of suspects." She sighed glancing at the clock before lying back on the bed. It was almost laughable that James had thought she had anything to do with picking their characters for the weekend. If she had she would have made sure that they at no point had to act like they cared for each other because it may be hard for him to do but it would be easy, maybe too easy, for her.

Bouncing on the large wood framed bed as she flopped into it Laura let out a contented sigh. She didn't care how the others felt about it she was looking forward to the weekend and to spending it with them without being elbow deep in body parts or imparting the gorier details of some murder or another. From her position on the bed she could see the gorgeous emerald green dress hanging on the outside of the wardrobe door where she'd put it moments before when she lifted it out. It was classically cut with a plunge neckline and a scooped back that would have been exactly what she would have expected for the character she'd read about earlier. She could already imagine wearing it with the accompanying green feathered fascinator and fake emerald jewellery.

"What other secrets have you got for me?" She smiled lifting the envelope off the pillow beside her and opening it propping herself up on the pillows as she read;

Ms Le-Qua makes it her mission to stir trouble in any situation she finds herself in. You should aim to goad Lady Veronica who is the embodiment of everything Suzanne hates. Emphasis the fact that she is making such a show of being a "lady" and be sure to point out that it is your experience that those who make the biggest show of being lady-like are the ones with the most sordid and darkest secrets.

"Oh Jean what sort of character are you actually going to be," She laughed imagining what might be her friend's characters secret and very much looking forward to finding out as she continued to read.

When you find yourself alone with the Cornel make sure to point out that you know a lot of people who know everything that's going on in society circles and you know exactly what he's like. Name drop "Louisa Craig" ad be sure to not the reaction. Flirt mercilessly with Sebastian ensuring that you do so overtly and within view of the other characters and make a note of their reactions.

Setting the card aside she took in the details as she went to the small en-suite bathroom and started the water running in the claw foot bath. Interesting as she was sure the weekend was going to be she had to admit, if only to herself, that wasn't the reason she'd accepted the invitation. She had really hoped that the weekend might bring her and Robbie closer together. They'd tried a dozen times to move their relationship along but something always seemed to get in the way. Here though with characters to hide behind and away from the day to day pressures of work she hoped they might finally make some progress. To that end she was determined to look her best when she went down to dinner even if it took her the two hours between now and then to get ready.

"Oh great I hope the heating system in this place isn't as antiquated as the décor." James grumbled shrugging off his jacket and dropping it on the wooden rocking chair in the corner of the room. Turning on his heels he caught sight for the first time of the black velvet suit, white shirt and brightly coloured silk scarf hanging on the outside of the bathroom door and felt his heart sink. He'd known as soon as he read the information card on Sebastian Fleming-Rodgers that he wasn't going to like what he would be left to wear but this was even worse than he'd imagined. "I swear the first one of them that laughs when they see me in this will regret it!" He muttered as he kicked off his trainers and sat on the end of the bed ripping open the envelope that had been left for him and sighing as he started to read.

Your sole mission for the evening is to get Lady Veronica alone to talk about the fact you have decided you want more from your relationship regardless of the effect that may have on either of your social standing. Sebastian has no respect for the cornel ad makes no show of pretending otherwise so you should be disparaging of his military career and his "after dinner" speeches. Suzanne Le' qua is another story she is clearly a flirtatious and extrovert character who is likely to make advances which you should rebuff unless directly able to play on any jealousy that might be elicited from Lady Veronica. When you finally do get to be alone you should point out to Lady Veronica that you are in love with her and you believe she loves you too.

"Great how are you going to pull this one off Hathaway? The minute you open your mouth she's going to know you're not acting." He snapped flopping backwards onto the bed and staring at the ceiling. He spent more time than he cared to admit admiring Jean Innocent from afar something her knew, or was as sure as he could be, she had no idea about. He'd imagined telling her how he felt, even more so since the breakup of her marriage, but he knew he never could. Now he was going to have to spend two days overtly acting like someone who was in love with her and all he could see for the end of that was disaster. Not only that but he was also going to have to pretend to flirt with Laura, someone he and anyone else who'd ever seen them together, knew Robbie was head over heels for even if he wasn't ready to admit it yet. All in all the weekend, he felt, was shaping up to one of disaster followed my disaster with a little more disaster thrown in for good measure. As he put his earphones in closing his eyes and letting the music coming through them wash over him he could only hope that they emerged from if still a team at all let alone a strong one.

"Thanks do we just…..well you know wait her until it's time for dinner?" Robbie asked as the rather stern looking young man who had been identified to them as Alistair set his weekend bag on the floor just inside the room.

"Yes sir your costume is there on the bed along with your instructions for the night." The young man replied before bowing exaggeratedly and leaving the room.

"Costume? My god man it's a sight!" He muttered to the empty room taking in the full military dress uniform spread out on the bed. The black trousers and white shirt weren't too bad but the over the top red jacket complete with medals was a step too far. Glancing at the waist measurements on the trousers he breathed a sigh of relief. When Jean had joked about them lying about their measurements when they'd given her them a few months before he'd briefly worried about what he'd put on the order form. He vaguely remembered being handed the form and her badgering him about returning it even though they were in the middle of a particularly complicated case so when he had filled it in he knew he would have been irritated enough to put anything on it.

Lifting the information card he shook his head as he opened the envelope. He wasn't of the same mind as James in believing Jean had allocated their characters but he did find it hard to believe that she'd had the cards since the day before and not looked at them and would be enjoying their discomfort. As he started to read he found nothing in what he was finding out that disproved that theory.

Cornel McFarlan is arrogant, pompous and chauvinistic all qualities you should display tonight. He is also a great believer in the class system and as such should be deferential to Lady Veronica.

"Jean Innocent there's no way you didn't have a hand in this." He laughed shaking his head as he continued to read.

He should at all times be dismissive of Sebastian considering him to be an upstart with ideas above his station particularly when it comes to his attempts to endear himself to Lady Veronica. You should be sure when talking to Mr Fleming –Rodgers to point out that he would have no chance with a real lady and that he should stop harassing her. When approached by Ms Le-qua you should be appropriately smarmy and lecherous. As the night progresses you should act more and more drunk and finally point out that everyone has secrets and all secrets are dangerous but the ones people truly believe no one else knows are the most destructive.

"If I have to do all that I'll need to be drunk not just acting it." Robbie sighed sinking into the wing chair in the corner of the room resting his head back and closing his eyes. He still couldn't believe that they were here doing this and in a couple of hours they'd all be in full costume "acting" over dinner. Not only that but he didn't believe Jean had asked Laura along to make up the numbers there were plenty of female officers she could have asked. Jean Innocent was matchmaking again he could feel it in his bones. This time though she was actually on the right track and terrible as he was convinced the weekend had the potential to be at least he would be sharing it with Laura. If it went ok maybe he would finally get the chance to tell her he was sorry for all the "almost" times they'd shared over the years and see if she still wanted there to be someone more to their relationship than friendship.

"Are they all settled in?" The man in the smart butlers outfit asked as Mrs Montgomery entered the kitchen were a small group of people sat around the large wooden table.

"Yeah seems so do you have it ready?" She asked smiling as he handed her a red envelope from the table which she passed to Alistair. "You know what you do just make sure none of them see you. Put it under the door and get away again as quickly as possible.

"You don't need to tell me we've been doing this every other weekend for the last year no one has seen me yet." The younger man replied leaving the room sulkily climbing the stairs toward the bedroom doors. Listening carefully he noted the silence in the room before glancing up and down the corridor and slipping the red envelope under the door. Over time he'd developed the ability to read their "guests" as soon as they arrived. This time as he walked away leaving the "you are the murderer await further instructions" note for the room's tenant he couldn't help but smile. He had a feeling this was going to be one of the more interesting weekends and he was quite looking forward to it.