He was standing just inside the door, with Connibear on one side of him and John on the other.

“Mr. Lansdown has kindly offered us the use of a room, which we will be using as an office. Throughout the day I shall be speaking to each of you. The interview will be taped, but I can assure you that the conversations will be confidential and that no information will be passed on or used unless it is relevant to our inquiries.

“In the meantime I would like to ask your permission for our men to search your rooms and to take dust and fibre samples from your clothing. Of course you can be present while the search is taking place, but I think that you’d be more comfortable here.”

He paused, took the silence as consent to his plans, then continued: “The officers will come to see you here. One of my men might ask you to remove certain items of clothing, so that they can be taken away for tests. I can assume that no one has changed during the morning?”

Once more there was silence.

“The officers will ask you to show them your coats and outdoor shoes, and again I would ask you to be co-operative.

“I understand that you all planned to spend the night here and to return to the mainland tomorrow. I understand that it will be distasteful to you to stay here in the circumstances, but I would be grateful if those arrangements could be maintained. Of course if anyone chooses to leave, he is free to do so, but I’m sure that you can appreciate how much more convenient it will be if we are able to complete at least the preliminary interviews under one roof.”

It was as if he had completed a set speech. He relaxed, then, and beamed at them, as if they were well-behaved children.

“That’s splendid. Now, are there any questions?”

Elizabeth felt that she should raise her hand as if she were at school, but managed to restrain the impulse.

“I’ll need to go to the kitchen to prepare lunch,” she said. “ That will be allowed?”

“Of course,” he said. “But perhaps you could wait until my officers have been in to see you.”

She nodded.

“Now Mr. Lansdown,” Savage continued, “ perhaps you could show me your ringing room. I know that you’ve spoken to DC Connibear, but I’d be grateful for your help for half an hour or so.”

John looked helplessly at Elizabeth and at George Palmer-Jones, then followed the two policemen out of the room.

There was a uniformed policeman in the bird room, and he had rearranged the furniture so that it was no longer familiar to John. Savage sat on one side of the desk and motioned John to sit at the other. The uniformed policeman had disappeared and Connibear stood somewhere out of John’s line of vision.

“Right then,” Savage started. He leaned forward on the desk and concentrated his attention on John. John found the dark eyes intimidating and turned away from them. “I don’t know anything about the set-up here. So you tell me all about it, and exactly where the deceased came into it all.”