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him more than was necessary was probably not the best policy.
    Lady St Merryn’s back was still turned, as if Miranda and Jago weren’t even there.
    ‘I’ll be going then, if that’s all?’
    A small sigh and a wave of the hand told Miranda she was dismissed. She tried to avoid Jago’s eyes but could hardly back out of the room without speaking to him.
    ‘Is there anything you want to discuss, Jago?’
    His eyes rested on her before he answered. Her heart pitter-pattered. Was now the time they would tell her what was going on? Surely they wouldn’t keep her in suspense any longer.
    ‘Not at the moment, thank you,’ Jago said, glancing over at his mother.
    ‘In that case, I’m going to go back to the office and will start planning the new opening hours, but if you need me you can reach me on the radio.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    And with that she was firmly put in her place.
    Back inthe office, Ronnie greeted Miranda like a dog who’d retrieved a very big stick from the sea. If she had a tail, it would have wagged, thought Miranda, unable to suppress a smile.
    Miranda laughed. No matter what was in store for the Mount, she had great colleagues to entertain and infuriate her. Their night out on the mainland had left Miranda with a king-sized hangover but they’d had a great time meeting up with a couple of friends from Nanjizal rowing gig club after the cinema. Getting off the island wasn’t a matter of just jumping in a taxi on a whim, you had to plan it around the tides but that was part of the fun and her fondness of the people who lived there, like Ronnie, were a major reason she’d stayed so long on the island.
    ‘Guess what? I found out
exactly
who left the bestiary out.’
    ‘Really?’ said Miranda, throwing her fleece over the back of her chair.
    ‘Don’t sound so interested, will you?’
    ‘I’m winding you up. Of course I want to know. Which one of the students was it?’
    Ronniewas almost panting with excitement. ‘None of them. It was their tutor. I called the whole group in for a routine update on security procedures and said you’d found the book lying outside the cabinet when you checked the library after closing. Apparently, Professor Smartarse thought one of her students had locked it away and didn’t bother to check. She confessed straightaway and I didn’t even need the thumbscrews.’ Ronnie gave a sigh. ‘Pity. I like torturing academics, they’re so bloody smug.’
    ‘Good work, Poirot. You won’t be surprised to hear that I left the theft out of my report to her ladyship,’ said Miranda.
    ‘Wise move. How is she? She doesn’t look too good lately if you want my opinion.’
    ‘I don’t think she’s feeling too well either.’
    ‘I bet she’s called Jago back to take over. I just know it.’
    Miranda couldn’t deny she thought the same way. ‘It looks like it. I hope he’s not going to make big changes.’
    Ronnie’s face was grim. ‘Or bankrupt the place.’
    ‘I’m sure that won’t happen.’
    ‘Bollocks.’
    ‘OK, then I
hope
he won’t bankrupt the place.’ Miranda spotted the day’s post on her desk, secured with an elastic band, the top being from the Health and Safety Executive. Her heart sank a little. ‘Is there anything else I should know about while I’ve been in my meeting?’
    ‘Nothing life-threatening for once. But you have had a call.’
    ‘Who from?’
    ‘TheoMartin.’ Ronnie said the words with relish, as if Theo was a cream doughnut or a giant block of chocolate.
    ‘And?’
    ‘He said he wants to review the Mount’s emergency evacuation procedures with you but I think he just wants an excuse to talk to you. He promised to try to drop by over the next few days.’
    ‘Right.’
    Ronnie tutted loudly. ‘Miranda. Don’t.’
    Miranda fingered the letters. ‘Don’t what?’
    ‘Play the Ice Maiden. Theo’s just about the best-looking guy in south-west Cornwall, if you like short men that is.’
    At well over six feet herself, Ronnie had