‘There’s one thing I want you to tell me. I daresay I’ve got no business to pester you but I hope you won’t mind too much.’

‘Well, of course not. Naturally not, I’m sure.’

‘It’s just this. If it is found to be homicide you won’t will you, entertain any idea of her having been set upon by thugs when she went ashore in the night? That can’t be the case, possibly, can it?’

‘We always like to keep an open mind.’

‘Yes, but you can’t, can you, keep an open mind about that one? Because if she was killed by some unknown thug, who on earth sent the telegram from Carlisle?’

‘We’ll have to get you in the Force, Mrs Alleyn. I can see that,’ he joked uneasily.

‘I know I’m being a bore.’

‘Not at all.’

‘But you see,’ Troy couldn’t resist adding, ‘it’s because of all those silly little things I told you about at the police stations. They don’t sound quite so foolish, now. Or do they?’

‘Er—no. No. You may be quite sure, Mrs Alleyn, that we won’t neglect any detail, however small.’

‘Of course. I know.’

‘I might just mention, Mrs Alleyn, that since we had our last chat we’ve re-checked on the whereabouts of the passengers over last weekend. They’re OK. The Hewson couple were in Stratford-upon-Avon. Mr Pollock did stay in Birmingham. Dr Natouche was in Liverpool, and—’

‘But—that’s all before the cruise began!’

‘Yerse,’ he said and seemed to be in two minds what to say next. ‘Still,’ he said, ‘as far as it goes, there it is,’ and left it at that.

‘Please, Mr Tillottson, there’s only one more thing. Had she—did you find anything round her neck. A cord or tape with a sort of little bundle on it. Sewn up, I fancy, in chamois leather?’

‘No,’ he said sharply. ‘Nothing like that. Did she wear something of that nature?’

‘Yes,’ Troy said. ‘She did. It was—I know this sounds fantastic but it’s what she told me—it was an extremely valuable Fabergé jewel representing the Signs of the Zodiac and given to her grandfather who was a surgeon, by, believe it or not, the Czar of Russia. She told me she never took it off. Except one supposes when she—’ Troy stopped short.

‘Did she talk about it to anyone else, Mrs Alleyn?’

‘I understood she’d told Miss Hewson about it.’

‘There you are! The foolishness of some ladies.’

‘I know.’

‘Well, now,’ he said. This is interesting. This is quite interesting, Mrs Alleyn.’

‘You’re thinking of motive.’

‘We have to think of everything,’ he sighed portentously. ‘Everything.’

‘I suppose,’ Troy said, ‘you’ve looked in her suitcase.’