‘Did you notice anybody up-along, off of the steps, like? In the rough?’

‘Are you after them courting couples again, George Pender?’

‘No,’ said Mr Pender shortly. ‘I be’ant.’

‘I did not fall,’ said Miss Emily loudly. She rose to her feet and confronted Trehern. ‘I was struck,’ she said.

‘Lord forbid, ma’am! Who’d take a fancy to do a crazy job like that?’

Jenny said to Pender: ‘I think we ought to get Miss Pride home.’

‘So we should, then. Now, ma’am,’ said Pender with an air of authority, ‘you’m not going to walk up them steps, if you please, so if you’ve no objection us chaps’ll manage you, same as if we was bringing you ashore in a rough sea.’

‘I assure you, officer –’

‘Very likely, ma’am, and you with the heart of a lion as all can see, but there’d be no kind of sense in it. Now then, souls. Hup!’

And before she knew what had happened, Miss Emily was sitting on a chair of woollen-clad arms with her own arms neatly disposed by Mr Pender round a pair of slightly fishy shoulders and her face in close association with those of her bearers.

‘Pretty as a picture,’ Pender said. ‘Heave away, chaps. Stand aside, if you please, Jim.’

‘My umbrella.’

‘I’ve got it,’ said Jenny. ‘And your bag.’

When they reached the top Miss Emily said: ‘I am extremely obliged. If you will allow me, officer, I would greatly prefer it if I might enter in the normal manner. I am perfectly able to do so and it will be less conspicuous.’ And to Jenny: ‘Please ask them to put me down.’

‘I think she’ll be all right,’ Jenny said.

‘Very good, ma’am,’ said Pender. ‘Set ‘er down, chaps. That’s clever. Gentle as a lamb.’

They stood round Miss Emily, and grinned bashfully at her.

‘You have been very kind,’ she said. ‘I hope you will be my guests though it will be wiser perhaps, if I do not give myself the pleasure of joining you. I will leave instructions. Thank you very much.’

She took her umbrella and handbag from Jenny, bowed to her escort and walked quite fast towards the entrance. Jenny followed her. On the way they passed Wally Trehern.

Patrick was in the vestibule. Miss Emily inclined her head to him and made for the stairs. Her handbag was bloody and conspicuous. Jenny collected her room key from the desk.

‘What on earth – ?’ Patrick said coming up to her.

‘Get Dr Maine, could you? Up to her room. And Patrick – there are two fishermen and Mr Pender outside. She wants them to have drinks on her. Can you fix it? I’ll explain later.’

‘Good lord! Yes, all right.’