‘Distressed?’ Lord Hendry gave a mirthless laugh.
‘When was the theft discovered?’
‘Not long after dawn – one of the servants heard the shutters banging and got up to investigate. He found that someone had broken into the house through the dining-room window.’
‘I’ll need to see the exact spot.’
‘The alarm was raised and I came downstairs to face this catastrophe,’ said Lord Hendry, rising from his chair to point at the gilt frame. ‘Odysseus has been stolen.’
‘Was anything else taken?’
‘Isn’t this bad enough, man!’
‘Yes, yes,’ said Colbeck, ‘of course, it is, Lord Hendry. But I want to establish if the thief came for the sole purpose of stealing the painting or if it was only one of many items that went missing.’
‘Nothing else was taken, Inspector. He was after my horse.’
‘You have my sympathy – it was a magnificent painting.’
‘Odysseus is a magnificent colt,’ asserted Lord Hendry. ‘That’s something my wife has never been able to appreciate, I fear. When she saw what had happened, she was more concerned about the muddy footprints left on the carpets than about the theft.’
‘They could help us,’ said Colbeck, noting the clear footprints that led to and from the fireplace. ‘From the size of his boots and the length of his stride, I can see that we’re looking for a tall man with large feet. There’ll be more footprints in the mud outside to show from which direction he approached the house and where he left it.’
‘What use is that? It won’t bring my painting back.’
‘Oh, I think it will be returned eventually.’
‘Balderdash! It’s already been destroyed.’
‘I disagree, Lord Henry. If the thief were intent on destruction, then he’d simply have slashed the canvas to shreds. Instead of that, judging by the way it’s been cut out, he’s removed it with great care.’
‘What does that tell you?’
‘That you may well be offered the portrait back,’ said Colbeck. ‘At a high price, naturally.’
Lord Hendry shuddered. ‘I can’t afford to pay for it twice.’
‘You can if Odysseus wins the Derby.’
‘Yes,’ said the other, rallying slightly. ‘I can, Inspector. I can pay for anything then. The horse will get that painting back for me.’
‘God willing!’
‘I don’t have to call on the Almighty. I rely entirely on form. Odysseus has been consistently faster than his nearest rivals. Over the same distance, he was even fleeter of foot than last year’s Derby winner, West Australian.’
‘But not in race conditions,’ said Colbeck. ‘In the heat of a Derby, form is not the only telling factor.’
‘It will be tomorrow,’ said Lord Hendry in a conscious effort to raise his own spirits. ‘My trainer has never been so positive about a result before and he’s handled dozens of three-year-olds.’
‘I wish you luck.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Incidentally,’ said Colbeck, ‘when I heard about this theft, my immediate concern was for Odysseus himself. I thought that he might be in danger as well. I know that you have him under armed guard, but I dispatched Sergeant Leeming to your stables to verify that there have been no problems during the night.’
‘That was considerate.’
‘Has your trainer been made aware of what happened here?’
‘Not yet,’ said Lord Hendry, ‘and my instinct is to keep the news from him and from my jockey. They’re both very superstitious. They’ll interpret the theft in the way I’ve been doing – as an evil portent.’ He was worried. ‘I hope your sergeant will not tell them about what occurred here last night.’
‘I told him not to, Lord Hendry. His job is simply to check on the safety of Odysseus. When all is said and done, the horse is far more important than the portrait of him.’
‘Quite so.’
‘Do you have any clue as to the thief’s identity?’
‘I could hazard a guess at his paymaster.’
‘Brian Dowd?’
‘Not in this instance, Inspector,’ said Lord Hendry thoughtfully. ‘He wouldn’t even know that I had the painting. Besides, he’s never been anywhere near this house. Because Odysseus stands between him and a Derby win, Dowd is much more likely to try to injure the horse himself than steal his portrait. No,’ he continued, ‘I spy the grasping hand of Hamilton Fido behind this.’
‘How would he know that the painting existed?’
‘Someone could have told him,’ replied the other, thinking of Kitty Lavender. ‘Someone in whom I unwisely confided at one time.’
‘Are we talking about the young lady at the Wyvern Hotel?’
Lord Hendry glanced anxiously towards the door. ‘Keep your voice down, man!’ he ordered. ‘This is my home.’
‘I’m sorry, sir,’ said Colbeck, speaking in a whisper. ‘But the question cannot be avoided. Is it the lady we’ve discussed before?’
‘Yes, Inspector.’
‘You seem to have discovered that she’s formed a liaison with Mr Fido. Am I right in thinking that?’ Lord Hendry nodded sullenly. ‘Could there be an element of spite in this? Given the circumstances, could this person have urged Mr Fido to arrange the theft of the painting out of pure malice?’
‘She could and she did, Inspector,’ said Lord Hendry, deciding that Kitty wanted her revenge for the blow he had given her. ‘That must be what happened. She instigated the whole thing.’
‘Then she committed a criminal act,’ said Colbeck. ‘That being the case, it’s even more crucial that I know her name so that I can speak to her as soon as possible. If your supposition about her is correct, it may be a way to retrieve the painting sooner than I thought. Well, Lord Hendry?’ he pressed. ‘Are you going to tell me who she is?’
Still in her night attire, Kitty Lavender was propped up in bed as she watched Hamilton Fido putting on his frock coat. She was peevish.
‘Do you have to leave so early?’ she complained.
‘Needs must when the devil drives, my darling.’
‘Let your assistants do all the work.’
‘I like to be at the course first thing to give them instructions,’ said Fido, adjusting his coat in the bedroom mirror. ‘One of the rules of bookmaking is to be constantly visible. It inspires trust.’
‘Come here and inspire me,’ she said, patting the bed.
He blew her a kiss. ‘I’ll have to postpone that delight until this evening, Kitty. I have too many people to see and too many bets to take. I also need to find a moment to go across to the stables to check on Merry Legs. That attempt at poisoning her scared me.’
‘Do you still think that Mr Dowd was responsible?’
‘I’d put money on it.’
‘You’d never do that unless you were very confident.’
‘My motto is simple,’ he said, coming to sit on the bed. ‘I only back certainties – like Kitty Lavender.’ She gave a brittle laugh. ‘How are you feeling this morning?’
‘Pleasantly tired,’ she purred.
‘Then you can go back to sleep. While you slumber away, I’ll be plying my trade at the racecourse and hoping that Inspector Colbeck will be able to find the villain who put that poison in the water.’
‘What are the chances of that happening?’
‘We shall see. Colbeck is an astute man.’
‘Marcus doesn’t think so. He said you’d outwit him every time.’
‘I’d outwit any policeman, Kitty,’ he said cheerily, ‘ which is why I’ve never seen the inside of a courtroom. But this crime is something I can’t solve on my own. I need an able detective.’
‘What sort of person is Inspector Colbeck?’ he asked.