This was unpromising stuff, but the Inspector did not allow himself to be unduly cast-down. He wanted to know whether there had been any quarrel between the deceased and any of his guests.

‘Oh no, no! Not what I should call a quarrel!’ Joseph said quickly. ‘I’m afraid all we Herriards are inclined to be testy, but there has been nothing of a serious nature. Nothing – nothing to warrant this dreadful thing!’

‘But there has been quarrelling, sir?’

‘Just a few family tiffs! What I call the give and take of family life. My brother was a sufferer from lumbago, and you know what that does to a man’s temper, Inspector. There may have been a little crossness here and there, but we knew that Uncle Nat’s bark was worse than his bite, didn’t we, Stephen?’

Not even his own predicament, which he must have known to be dangerous, could induce Stephen to join forces with Joseph. He said ‘Did we?’ in a non-committal tone which did much to destroy the good impression Joseph was making.

The Inspector turned towards him. ‘Would you say that there had been a quarrel, sir?’

‘No, I wouldn’t. I’d say my uncle had quarrelled with every one of us, with the exception of Miss Clare.’

‘Did you have words with him, sir?’

‘Many,’ said Stephen coolly.

‘Stephen, don’t be silly, old man!’ Joseph interposed. ‘Whatever may have passed between you and Nat earlier in the day, I for one can bear witness to the fact that you and he were on the friendliest terms by teatime! Inspector, this stupid fellow loves to make himself out to be a regular old bear, but I saw him with my own eyes link arms with my brother as they came in to tea, and no one could have been nicer to him thereafter than he was! Indeed, I noticed it particularly, and was so happy to see it!’

The Inspector’s appraising gaze travelled from his face to Stephen’s. ‘But there had been a quarrel between you and the deceased today, sir?’

Stephen shrugged. ‘Well, I hadn’t been thrown out of the house.’

‘I should like a plain answer, if you please, sir.’

‘Yes, then,’ Stephen said.

‘But, Stephen, you’re giving a false impression!’ Joseph said. ‘We all know you and Nat rubbed one another up the wrong way, but he was very fond of you, and you of him!’

‘You’d better examine my uncle,’ Stephen told the Inspector roughly. ‘He apparently knows all the answers.’

‘Was your quarrel of a serious nature, sir?’

‘I’ve already told you that I wasn’t thrown out of the house.’

‘Am I to take it that at the time the deceased was last seen alive you were on friendly terms with him?’

‘Temporary truce,’ said Stephen.

‘When did you last set eyes on the deceased, sir?’

Stephen took a moment to think this over. ‘Not sure of the time. I left the drawing-room when Roydon had finished reading his play. Probably about half-past seven.’