“Do you like it here, Mrs. Richards?”

“I love it,” she said.

“Do you know who killed Mr. Todd?”

“No.”

“I’ve got a pretty clear picture of what happened yesterday evening throughout the meal and immediately afterwards, but there are a couple of questions I’d like to ask. Were you surprised when your boyfriend left the dining room?”

“No. He always reacts to things emotionally. He’s impulsive.”

“When you took the wood into the common room yesterday evening I understand that Mrs. Marshall and Mr. Packham had been arguing. Could you hear what was said?”

“No. But I’m sure that they’ll tell you if you ask.”

“Why did you go to find Mr. Lansdown yesterday evening? Were you worried that he would do something silly?”

“It depends what you mean by silly. I was worried that he would spend all night on the Beacon, brooding. I was not worried that he might try to set light to the Wendy House, or steal a mist-net guy with the intention of strangling Charlie.”

“What sort of coat were you wearing when you went out?”

“I wasn’t wearing a coat. I’ve got an oiled fisherman’s sweater. I was wearing that.”

“You went to the shore to talk to the boys who were ringing?”

“Yes. I thought that John might be with them.”

“Which way did you walk to find him?”

“There are steps cut into the cliff just below the Wendy House. I climbed those and walked through Charlie’s garden.”

“Could you see into his house?”

“I didn’t look.”

“Did you see anyone else?”

“No.”

“What time did you wake up this morning?”

“A quarter to seven when the coastguard phoned up for John to hoist the cone.”

“Did you get up then?”

“Yes. I was feeling sick. I went to the bathroom.”

“You didn’t go outside?”

“Not until later, until we were cooking breakfast, and by that time the seawatching hide was cut off from the island.”

“You met Miss Carson while you were out?”

“Yes.”

“Did you see her leave the observatory?”

“No. She must have gone out before me.”

Suddenly his mood changed. He became, almost, fatherly. “I want to leave one of my men here, to keep an eye on you all. Will you be able to put him up?”

“Yes. It’ll be in the dormitory, where we usually put the schoolchildren, but he’ll be on his own in there.”

“That will be fine, fine.” He seemed about to say something else, to tell her, perhaps, to look after herself, when Martindale walked in. The young man stood awkwardly, just inside the door.

“The Land Rover’s ready, sir,” he said. “Connie asked me to tell you.”

“Just coming, Martindale.” He turned to Elizabeth. “ This is the constable who will be staying here tonight.”

They walked together to the yard, where the Land Rover was waiting. John was there, talking to George Palmer-Jones. Savage approached the two men, spoke to Palmer-Jones, then shook his hand. He nodded to John and climbed into the Land Rover. Connibear was obviously not used to driving it. The gears grated, it jerked forward and they were gone.