Of course the Comtesse was suspect. She is the lady of the house, the queen of the estate, the head of the business. But that she so freely states the odd things that others have mentioned? That she has no knowledge of Valery's extra key that supposedly appeared after the Comte's death? Her own curiosity on how there are barrels and barrels of food for the garden? Keeping a notebook filled with oddities?

(That, for all her pretenses, she is a quiet, reserved individual with an occasionally addled mind?)

Malcolm stands and moves to her side. "I should like to take a look, if it's all right with you. Some of these accounts I've heard from others, some I have not."

Another lick of his lips, and Milady raises her head at the tense scene. "Comtesse. Even with cursory questions, it's become clear that the strange things in this house are numerous and distressing. Naturally, for an accusation as terrible as this, you will want not to consider it, but I urge you--consider. With everything that goes on here that you know of--with everything that goes on that you do not know of--is it possible that some unfortunate fate may have befallen our scouts on your grounds?"