“You mean your hidden treasure?” Iona asked. “I have, of course, heard the story from Mr. Hopkins that you are looking everywhere on your estate to find the fortune your predecessor has hidden from you.”
The Earl drew in his breath and replied intensely,
“How could any man be so cruel and so insane as to hide away the very lifeblood of this house and estate?”
Iona did not answer and he went on,
“At the moment I have no money of my own and wherever I dig I find nothing – nothing at all. Yet there is supposed to be thousands and thousands of pounds hidden somewhere by my crazy uncle, who should have been put in a lunatic asylum.”
“Was he frightened of thieves or people preying on him?” Iona asked curiously.
“I have no idea,” the Earl replied. “Actually I only remember seeing him once o
