Following a comfortable journey (first class of course), you were collected from the small station, little more than a halt, by a rather stern and heavily moustached coachman with instructions to deliver you to the estate to meet with Sir Reginald and Lady Fenella immediately.
The journey from the station to the impressive Georgian building of the Carchilders Estate is mercifully short, for even the well maintained springs of the open trap cannot fully compensate for the ill maintained roads of rural Surrey.
From the taciturn coachman, whose name you manage to discover is Pilkington. You are able to get little information, yet it would seem that Edward’s apparent disappearance is contrary to the boy’s nature.
After the preliminaries you are shown to the library, where it its luxurious splendour you are introduced to Lady Fenella. It is instantly obvious that she is somewhat distraught, red rimmed eyes and the constant attention of a rather fine lace handkerchief point to sadness and concern. Behind her, dressed in a fine tweed suit, a tall distinguished gentleman stands hands linked behind his back. You guess this is Sir Reginald, even his exemplary British stiff upper lipness can’t totally mask the lines of worry upon his face or the occasional twitch of his well groomed mustachios.
As you enter the room Lady Fenella looks towards you, “Thank you for your swift response and punctuality. I hope the journey was not too much of a hardship” it is more of a statement than a question.
“It seems that two days ago our son Edward, currently at his studies at Cambridge, disappeared. According to his tutor, Dr Oswaldtwistle, he had set off for the train station to travel to London on the evening train. However he failed to arrive at his destination, it may even be that he failed to arrive at the station in Cambridge”
A half snort, half throat clearing from Sir Reginald hints to their being more to this tale than a simple disappearance...