‘And Mr Herriard had told him that he wouldn’t have him here any more?’

‘That was what Mr Herriard said.’

‘Had he said that before at any time?’

‘Never, Inspector, to my knowledge. Quite remarkable it was, the way he put up with Mr Stephen. It has been, I may say, a Wonder to us in the Hall.’

The Inspector looked at him for a reflective moment. ‘Where were you between the time the deceased went upstairs and the time he was discovered dead in his room?’

‘I was occupied about my Duties,’ replied Sturry, ‘between the dining-room and My Pantry.’

‘Did you see any of the guests during that period?’

‘No, Inspector, but I have reason to believe that Mr Herriard’s valet and the second-housemaid can give you some information on this point.’

‘Well, you can send them in,’ said the Inspector. ‘I’ll see the valet first. Has he been here long?’

‘Only a matter of a few months,’ Sturry replied. ‘It was not customary for the late Mr Herriard’s personal servants to remain long in his employment.’

‘Difficult master?’

‘Mr Herriard was very particular, and not, I regret to say, above throwing his shoes, or, upon occasion, even weightier articles at his valet, when his rheumatic complaints troubled him. Modern servants, as no doubt you are aware, do not Hold with that sort of thing.’

‘Doesn’t seem to have bothered you,’ remarked the Inspector humorously.

‘I need hardly say,’ said Sturry coldly, ‘that the late Mr Herriard never so demeaned himself with Me.’

He then withdrew in a very stately manner, softly closing the door behind him.

Ford, who, in a few minutes, presented himself, was looking a little scared. He would not admit that he had found Nathaniel a hard master; he seemed, instead, anxious to assure the Inspector that he had got on well with him, and had liked the place. Swallowing, he said, as though he had keyed himself up to it, that he had been upstairs between seven-thirty and eight-thirty, and had tried to enter his master’s room. He thought that that would have been at ten to eight, or perhaps a little later. He had previously run a bath for Mr Herriard, as was his custom, and had laid out his evening clothes.

‘Why did you go back?’ asked the Inspector.

‘Mr Herriard used very often to like me to help him to dress after his bath,’ explained Ford.

‘Did you find the door locked?’

‘Yes, Inspector.’

‘Did you knock?’

‘Only the once,’ faltered the valet.

‘Was there any answer?’

‘No. But I didn’t make anything of that, thinking Mr Herriard might still be in his bath.’

‘Was it usual for Mr Herriard to lock his door?’

‘Not to say usual, Inspector, nor yet unusual. I have known him do it, if he was put out, or didn’t wish to be disturbed.’

‘Well, what did you do?’

‘I went away again.’

‘Where to?’

‘Just along the upper hall to the sewing-room, meaning to wait a little while. Maggie – that’s the second-housemaid – was in there, pressing a skirt, which Miss Paula had asked her to see to. And on my happening to pass the remark that the master had locked his door, she said she had seen Miss Paula only a minute or two before coming away from the door in her dressing-gown.’