‘I’ll be here or with the others in the dining-room. It’s a bit grim sitting round there under the eye of the village constable.’

‘I hope it won’t be for very long,’ said Alleyn.

Troy suddenly held out her hand.

‘I’m glad it’s you,’ she said.

They shook hands.

‘I’ll try to be as inoffensive as possible,’ Alleyn told her.

‘Goodbye for the moment.’

CHAPTER 5
Routine

When Alleyn returned to the hall he found it full of men. The Scotland Yard officials had arrived, and with their appearance the case, for the first time, seemed to take on a familiar complexion. The year he had spent away from England clicked back into the past at the sight of those familiar overcoated and bowler-hatted figures with their cases and photographic impedimenta. There, beaming at him, solid, large, the epitome of horse-sense, was old Fox.

‘Very nice indeed to have you with us again, sir.’

‘Fox, you old devil, how are you?’

And there, looking three degrees less morose, was Detective-Sergeant Bailey, and behind him Detective-Sergeant Thompson. A gruff chorus began:

‘Very nice indeed—’

A great shaking of hands, while Superintendent Blackman looked on amicably, and then a small, clean, bald man came forward. Blackman introduced him.

‘Inspector Alleyn, this is Dr Ampthill, our divisional surgeon.’

‘How d’you do, Mr Alleyn? Understand you want to see me. Sorry if I’ve kept you waiting.’

‘I’ve not long arrived,’ said Alleyn. ‘Let’s have a look at the scene of action, shall we?’

Blackman led the way down the hall to a side passage at the end of which there was a door. Blackman unlocked it and ushered them through. They were in the garden. The smell of box borders came up from their feet. It was very dark.

‘Shall I lead the way?’ suggested Blackman.

A long pencil of light from a torch picked up a section of flagged path. They tramped along in single file. Tree-trunks started up out of the darkness, leaves brushed Alleyn’s cheek. Presently a rectangle of deeper dark loomed up.

Blackman said. ‘You there, Sligo?’

‘Yes, sir,’ said a voice close by.

There was a jangle of keys, the sound of a door opening.

‘Wait till I find the light switch,’ said Blackman. ‘Here we are.’

The lights went up. They walked round the wooden screen inside the door, and found themselves in the studio.