Naughty In Nice (A Royal Spyness Mystery)

prefer to have a witness present.”
    “I presume you will inherit the property, won’t you? So the possessions in it are legally yours,” Mummy said.
    “Unless Toby has changed his will behind our backs, my son inherits the estates and the title. I am left a sum of money ample for my needs and of course I own property that comes from my family.”
    “Oh, you have a son,” Mummy said innocently. “How lovely for you.”
    Lady Groper’s face softened. “Yes, he is a dear boy and quite devoted to his mother. He’s doing well—up at Oxford, you know. His father had high hopes for him. He’ll be devastated when he hears this.”
    And with that she opened the front door. I watched her go, then followed at the back of the party. Several things were interesting to me: first, that she had not mentioned her intention to file divorce proceedings against her husband, nor his threats to expose her to scandal, and second, that she didn’t appear to know her son was also on the Riviera. Or if she did, she was a very good liar.
    There were two policemen standing at the entrance to our driveway. They stepped out to block the way as they saw us.
    “We are escorting Lady Groper to her villa,” Coco said to them. “She has just heard the terrible news and has to see whether anything has been stolen.”
    “Very well,” one of the policemen said. “You will find our men at the villa. You may tell them you have permission to accompany Lady Groper.”
    We walked down the driveway. Lady Groper shuddered as the villa came into sight. “A monstrosity, isn’t it? The kind of tasteless extravagance that one of no breeding builds. Toby might have had a title, but he was still a parvenu, a nouveau riche. You’ve seen the artwork he collected?” She looked back at us. “He claims it will be worth a fortune, but I find much of it hideous.”
    We reached the front door, which was opened for us by another policeman, and stepped inside. Almost immediately Johnson appeared. “Oh, it’s you, ladies,” he said, looking relieved. “I thought it might be the inspector again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve answered the same questions, over and over—What time did I go into town? Did I see the young lady from next door?” He looked at me, “Oh, and I must apologize, my lady. I didn’t know who you were before. I must have appeared a bit rude.”
    “Not at all. I didn’t choose to reveal my true identity at that moment,” I said. “People tend to behave differently toward me when they know I have royal connections.”
    “I understand, my lady.” His gaze moved on to Lady Groper. She was eyeing him coldly. “And who is this young man, may I ask?” she said.
    “Johnson, ma’am,” he said. “Sir Toby’s new valet. He hired me shortly before we left for the Continent. I take it that you are Lady Groper. May I say how very sorry I am that he met such a tragic end.”
    “Another new valet,” Lady Groper said. “I could never keep up with them. And where were you, Johnson, when my husband was brutally murdered?”
    Johnson clearly saw this as a veiled criticism, that he had somehow been neglecting his duty. “Sir Toby had sent me into town to run errands for him,” he said. “I saw him set off on his yacht and did not expect him back until evening. In fact, he told me I didn’t need to hurry back, so I didn’t. I also ran a few errands for myself and enjoyed seeing a bit of Nice. I saw his yacht moored in the harbor, so I’ve no idea how he came to be back here, all alone. I only wish I had come back sooner—I may have prevented . . .” And his voice wavered.
    “Don’t blame yourself, boy,” Lady Groper said. “You did what you were instructed. So I presume that your master was not expecting anybody to call yesterday afternoon? And there is no evidence of anyone having been here?”
    “No, my lady.”
    “And that woman—Olga?” she asked tentatively.
    “She left the master a few days ago. She took all her belongings and moved out.”
    “And she didn’t come back at all and try to see him?”
    “No, my lady. We haven’t seen hide nor hair of her since, and good riddance, if you don’t mind my saying so. She was a nasty piece of stuff.”
    “And I presume you have checked the villa to see if anything was disturbed or taken?” she asked.
    “As far as I could tell nothing was touched, ma’am,” he said. “Of course I don’t have the keys to his safe or several locked drawers, and I