CAST OF CHARACTERS

Luke Watchman, K.C.

Sebastian Parish, his cousin.

Norman Cubitt, R.A.

Abel Pomeroy, proprietor, Plume of Feathers, Devon.

Will Pomeroy, his son.

Mrs. Ives, housekeeper at the Plume of Feathers.

The Honourable Violet Darragh, of County Clare, Ireland.

Robert Legge, Secretary and Treasurer to the Coombe Left Movement.

Decima Moore, of Cary Edge Farm and of Oxford.

George Nark, farmer, of Ottercombe.

Richard Oates, P.C. of the Illington and Ottercombe Constabulary.

Dr. Shaw, Police Surgeon, Illington.

Nicholas Harper, Superintendent of Police, Illington.

Dr. Mordant, Coroner for Illington.

Roderick Alleyn, Chief Detective-Inspector, Criminal Investigation Department.

T. R. Fox, Inspector, Criminal Investigation Department.

Colonel, the Honourable Maxwell Brammington, Chief Constable.

i

As Luke Watchman drove across Otterbrook Bridge the setting sun shone full in his eyes. A molten flood of sunlight poured towards him through the channel of the lane and broke into sequins across Otterbrook waters. He arched his hand over his eyes and peered through the spattered dazzle of the windscreen. Somewhere about here was the turning for Ottercombe. He lowered the window and leant out.

The warmth of evening touched his face. The air smelt of briar, of fern, and, more astringently of the distant sea. There, fifty yards ahead, was the fingerpost with its letters almost rubbed out by rain. “Ottercombe, 7 miles.”