‘Can we come in please? You must be freezing,’ Trudy said, following up the suggestion with a small forward step. She couldn’t have said why, but she had the feeling that the petite redhead didn’t want them in her house, which only made Trudy all the more determined to conduct the interview inside.

Millie Vander visibly hesitated a second, then stepped aside to let them in. The house was warm everywhere, and Trudy realised they had central heating. She’d heard about it, but no one she knew had it in their own homes. But chilly draughts and inadequate real fires were not for someone who lived in a house like this! The hall was otherwise small but nicely proportioned.

‘I’ve only just risen, as you can see,’ Millie began. ‘I hope this won’t take long – whatever it is?’

She eyed Clement curiously, and Trudy saw her preen a little in the presence of a handsome man. It seemed to come from a habit born of a lifetime’s practice.

‘I hope we won’t have to take up much of your time, Mrs Vander. I’m WPC Loveday, and this is Dr Clement Ryder.’

‘Hello, Doctor,’ Millie said at once, holding out a slender, pale hand to the coroner, who took it and shook it with a smile. Trudy noticed Mrs Vander was wearing pink nail varnish. She was also, Trudy noted, wearing a certain amount of make-up. So much for having just risen, she thought. The lady of the house must have been up for at least a quarter of an hour and had been in the process of making herself presentable for the day.

‘We understand you threw a New Year’s Eve party last night,’ Trudy began gently.

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake,’ Millie said, tossing her long red hair in annoyance. ‘This can’t be about a noise complaint? I simply can’t believe it of my neighbours – besides, most of them were here themselves!’ She laughed lightly, throwing another smile somewhat perfunctorily at Dr Ryder.

Beneath the veneer of gaiety, however, Trudy was sure she could detect nervousness in their witness. Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean much – most people, even thoroughly law-abiding people, felt nervous when they had an unexpected visit from the law.

‘No, I’m afraid I have more serious news than that. Could we talk somewhere more …?’ Trudy glanced around the hall, which had a small grandfather clock ticking pretentiously in one corner, a marble console table with a black Bakelite telephone on it, and a staircase, sweeping up and around to the top floor.