Charlie and Tom were washed and clean, and dressed in neat suits and boots, and the Major had taken them to the barbers in Covent Garden where the two boys had been given smart haircuts, whilst he had had a shave. The boys had washed the dog, who seemed to find this new experience enjoyable and fun, and Jo now had a proper collar to wear. Denny saw Mearns’ look: ‘You’ve taken a very fatherly view of our young team,’ he grinned. ‘They’re going to be more useful than we realised,’ replied Mearns. ‘We must keep them safely with us till we solve our latest Windsor murders.’ The coach rumbled into the inn yard, and the ostlers ran to change the horses. The driver was the one who had first brought Charlie to Windsor, which seemed like years ago. He recognised Charlie. ‘Well, young Sir. You have come up in the world!’ Then turning to the Major: ‘He does you credit, Sir.’ ‘Thank you. Tell me, whilst we are waiting, when you brought him here to Windsor, you kindly let him earn some money by bringing up two heavy parcels to me at the Castle.
