The following day the staff were tied up still sorting out the previous nights mess and dead bodies. The local constabulary were everywhere, getting excited at dealing with a double murder and the forensics of two dead bodies.

Dempsey walked into the kitchen, it was 9.15 and breakfast seemed to have been cleared from the dining room. "Hey any chance of a coffee?" He asked a maid, "I'll make it myself if show me"

"No need sir" Susan pointed to a seat by the table and asked if he would like anything to eat.

"Sure" he said "What do castles serve for breakfast?"

"Porridge / full English / toast?"

"What real old fashioned porridge?"

"Yes Sir, if you want"

"Why not, if you don't mind that is"

"No problem"

At that moment Lord Winfield walked through, "Ah James, come with me"

"Err the maid…" he fished for a name, looking at her hopelessly

"Susan" she filled in for him

"Susan, is sorting me some breakfast"

Lord Winfield looked t her "Bring it into my rooms please dear, and if Lady Harriet comes down can you direct her to me as well please"

"Yes my Lord"

Dempsey was glad to escape the over zealous atmosphere of the police constables, he had already over heard complaints about the dead bodies being moved and searched with the proper procedure.

"I take it you're feeling some what better this morning Lord Winfield"

"I am, but I must say I have a hell of a hangover, not quite sure how many years it is since I had one like this but it's a good few. Anyway young man please call me Freddy, Harry does, it seems far more appropriate to me."

Dempsey wondered what that meant, appropriate? What did think their relationship was? He tried to correct him "Harry and me, we're just work partners"

"Tell me about Frances and Naismith" Lord Winfield didn't appear to hear him.

Dempsey explained about Naismith's blackmail, eating his breakfast which had been brought in.

Makepeace arrived carrying a plate of toast and another cafétiere. Dressed casually in trousers, blouse and jumper Dempsey reflected that he didn't get to see this side of her usually. She expressed much concern about her father and whether he was fit to be up and about but his instance was stronger than her apprehension.

She automatically sat next to Dempsey who helped himself to a slice of toast and whispered "so is bed still out of the question?"

She glanced up at her father in alarm, but he hadn't heard and was busy remonstrating about Naismith and how he should never have trusted him.

"It's never out of the question Dempsey" she kept her voice low, he looked shocked, he hadn't expected that "Just always alone, every time, me in my bed, you in yours" that was the rebuff he had been expecting

"You never know Makepeace, never say never" He took another slice of toast and she slapped his hand playfully. "What?" he questioned looking at the plate "You never intended to eat all that yourself" As it was the truth Harry bit into her slice and turned her attention back to her father.

Dempsey watched the interaction between father and daughter and found himself thinking of his mother back in New York, having to write via a post box address that changed regularly. He appreciated the letters she sent him; he decided to take some time out of the day to write to her from an old English castle. He could describe the old armour, stags heads and candle light corridors, he found it quite fascinating himself, he had never actually touched anything as old as these things before in his life.

With the coffee all gone, and Freddy promising to rest a while Makepeace walked with Dempsey whilst he told her the full details of his discoveries the previous night but it wasn't long before the station sergeant asked her to come and give her statement about the previous nights events. Dempsey walked across the grounds to the prearranged meet, his tried to take in the extent of the grounds and magnitude of building that Harry actually called home. He found himself shaking his head in disbelief, talk about chalk and cheese!

Spikings delivered the diving equipment and further barrage of scathing comments. Dempsey wondered why he bothered. He put the holdall of equipment out of sight in a bush and noted with interest the Simms diving in the lake. He doubted very much her preference for cold out door swimming. His suspicions were placed well and truly at the bottom of the lake.

Makepeace had been glad of Dempsey's presence; she couldn't see what he could have done to prevent the night's body count. Dempsey had been forced to tell her about his visit to Frances Trafford, she found herself slightly surprised that he had left when she had made a pass at him, her judgement awry on this occasion.

Dempsey barely restrained himself from his mixture of sarcasm and rudeness when questioned by the local police about the previous evening and retreated as soon as possible to find Harry.

He saw her across the large hall and shouted after her "MAKEPEACE" Harry turned to him, and the other staff passing stopped and looked. Dempsey suddenly realised he had probably called her the wrong name but he just shrugged his shoulders and thought screw the aristocracy. He moved quickly over to her a grabbing her by the arm pulled her over to the side of the corridor and started walking her fast down it.

"What's the matter" she hissed

"I can't get my head round it all Makepeace. There's the jade, Frances Trafford who I think was an innocent victim, Naismith who seems to have gotten greedy and started to mix with people outside his league and there's all this."

"All what?"

"All this, the house, the grounds, the titles…"

"You knew"

"In theory, yeh but not in practice Makepeace, not what your family home entailed I'm thinking even I feel like I'm mixing outside my league and I ain't usually bothered."

"Look there's nothing to it, we're here to do a job, to discover who stole the jade let's do that and forget the rest."

Feeling reassured Dempsey started to slow down, "So where does all this armour come from then?" he asked.

Makepeace sipped her arm through his; "let me take you on a tour through history from the time of the Magna Carta and through the middle ages Battles were fought and honour lost and gain by knights in their armour and chain mail, fighting by the sword." She spoke as they moved past various items and made their way upstairs.