“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
Daisy yawned. “You agree that it’s strange.”
“In the morning,” he said firmly. “I need to sleep on it.”
In spite of distant rumblings of thunder, he slept on it so soundly that the alarm clock didn’t rouse him and it was Daisy who went to check on Ben. He was less difficult to wake. He seemed perfectly normal to Daisy, but when she returned to her own bed she reset the alarm for another two hours, just in case.
By then the sun was rising. The sky was as clear as if the storm had been a dream. When Daisy looked out of the window, a faint mist hazed the grass but everything higher was fresh and bright, leaves washed clean by the downpour, and lingering raindrops sparkling.
As Alec again slept through the alarm’s bell, Daisy decided it wouldn’t hurt to put him under an obligation by letting him sleep. If he was reluctant to discuss his theories with her, she’d be able to point out that he owed her.
When she reached the turret, the boys were already getting up, although it was not yet six o’clock.
“It’s such a ripping day,” Derek explained. “We can sleep in some day when it’s raining. We’re going to the river.”
“To, not on,” said Daisy. “It’ll be in full spate after the rain.”
“That’s half the fun,” he protested.
“Not the boat. And not swimming, either.”
“Oh, all right.”
“Did you go out in the boat yesterday?”
“Yes,” Ben chimed in enthusiastically. “They let me have a go at rowing.”
So the boat hadn’t been sabotaged. Or at least not effectively. Daisy would make sure Edgar had it examined thoroughly before it was used again.
“On the backwater?” Derek bargained.
“Also out of bounds. The storm will have swelled the stream, as well.” She interpreted with ease the look Derek and Ben exchanged. “If you must. As long as you stay upstream, in the woods or farther.”
“Thanks, Aunt Daisy!”
“But let me look at Ben’s head first.”
Since she stood on the steps protruding into the room from the waist up, Ben came and knelt in front of her. “I feel fine. It hardly hurts at all, only when I touch it. Can I take the bandage off? It looks silly.”
“Let me have a look.” She undid the safety pin and unwrapped the bandage. The wound had stopped bleeding and was not inflamed, though there was some swelling around it.
“Sorry, Ben, it still needs something to keep it clean and protect against bumps. I could try to make it less obtrusive, but if I use sticking plaster, it’s going to hurt like the dickens when it comes off.”
“And pull out your hair,” Derek added. “I’d keep the bandage if I were you. We can pretend you’re a wounded soldier or something.”
Daisy had left supplies in the turret, so Ben’s turban was soon restored.
“There. Do try not to bump it!”
“Aunt Daisy, if you’re going back to your room, could you possibly stop at Bel’s and tell her we’ll meet her in the kitchen in five minutes?”
“I’m glad you’re including Belinda in your plans.”
“Oh, she’s not a bad sort, for a girl.”
Daisy couldn’t reach to box his ears for the last part of that remark. She let it pass. “Don’t leave a mess in the kitchen.”
“We won’t,” they promised in chorus.
“And don’t expect Bel to clear it up because she’s a girl.”
She went to give Belinda their message. Bel was already awake. “Five minutes!” She scrambled out of bed. “Is Ben all right, Mummy?”
“I think so, but keep an eye on him for me. And stop the boys from doing anything too harebrained if you can.”
Alec woke up when Daisy slipped back into bed beside him. She interpreted his grunt as an enquiry as to Ben’s well-being.
“He seems to have been lucky. I’ve said they can go out, Bel and the boys.”
“Out?” he mumbled.
“On one of their expeditions. No boating.”
“An expedition?” Alec was now thoroughly awake. “At this time in the morning?”
“They’re young, and the sun is shining.” In spite of which she was quite chilled after her expedition to the turret. She snuggled up to him.
Quite some time later, Alec said, “No boating?”
“Because the river will be dangerous. If it rained heavily here, you can bet it bucketed down in the hills where the Severn rises. But also, I’m awfully afraid the boat may have been sabotaged. I don’t want them going out in it until it’s been thoroughly checked. Tell me that’s nonsense.”