“From a distance we saw Mr. Harranby hurry after Mr Pimms, shouting something at him. Since Mr. Harranby had been on his feet that whole day, he was clearly exhausted, and ran like it. But he made the brutal climb up the treacherous rocks of the mountain in determined fashion until he scaled up to the top.”

”As he sat exhausted on a large boulder, Mr. Pimms appeared from nowhere, pointing his pistol at the head of Mr. Harranby. They were shouting at each other, gesturing wildly, until finally, Mr. Pimms rested the pistol on Mr. Harranby’s forehead.”

“We heard a shot fired, and saw Mr. Harranby fall back. But, maybe on account of the sweat that must have been dripping from Mr. Harranby, which we guess happened because we ourselves were dripping all over, the gun may have slipped. So we think the bullet likely grazed Mr. Harranby’s head.”

“This gave Mr. Harranby the opportunity to pull his own pistol, which we did not realize he’d carried until we saw him pull something that looked like a pistol from a trousers pocket. They struggled over the pistol. But Mr. Pimms was a big, strong, powerful man, and Mr. Harranby was bleeding and most likely much weakened by his efforts that day and by the head shot, so, after a few punches from Mr. Pimms on Mr. Harranby’s head and stomach area, it looked like Mr Pimms was able to wrestle the pistol from Mr. Harranby.”

“After a few more minutes, and more wild gestures from each, Mr. Pimms jammed the pistol on the head of Mr. Harranby. The men later told us the pistol had been jammed on the eye socket of Mr. Harranby.”

“Then we heard the loud report of the pistol, and saw Mr. Harranby’s head snap back, and his body slump to the ground. Mr Pimms stood over him, kicking his body, as if to make sure that this time, he was, in fact, dead.

“That gunshot was the sickest sound we’d ever heard. One that we shan’t forget.”

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“And that’s how it ended for Mr. Harranby, Lady Beatrice,” Richard Mayne said quietly.

Before leaving to investigate the gold theft, Edward had entrusted Richard Mayne with a set of sealed papers.