Explore "Moreton Bay" by F.W. Mole on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
After weary months of endeavour, Inspector Barnes was forced to dismiss from his mind the belief he had held as to Julia Darnley being primarily concerned in the murder of Earl Belriven. He had thoroughly investigated her life's history and that of Colonel Delpratt and where they were on the Sunday afternoon of the murder. Nothing that he could do or say could shake the testimony of these two people and it was supported by the maid who had left the manor with her mistress and her two young children, and by her father, Richard Darnley. Beyond reaffirming her belief that the Earl was murdered by Nigel Lording, the astute inspector could glean from her nothing that could help him in solving the mystery.
That the murderer was someone well acquainted with Grassmere and its environs, was the inspector's next belief and he worked on it accordingly. Disguising himself as a common labourer he applied to John Gatcombe, who still carried on the trusteeship of the Grassmere Estate for and on behalf of the infant Lord Belriven, for work on the estate.