‘Of course you didn’t. Nor did I. But we made a botch of things this morning. Seb and I denied that we saw Luke as we came back from Coombe Head, and I think Alleyn knew we were lying. I got a nasty jolt when he announced that he was going to see you. I didn’t know what to do. I dithered round and finally followed him, leaving Seb to come home by himself. I was too late. You’d told him?’

‘I told him that Luke and I quarrelled that morning because Luke had tried—had tried to make love to me. I didn’t tell him—Norman, I lied about the rest. I said it hadn’t happened before. I was afraid. I was cold with panic. I didn’t know what you and Sebastian had told him. I thought, if he found out that I had been Luke’s mistress and that we’d quarrelled, he might think—They say poison’s a woman’s weapon, don’t they? It was like one of those awful dreams. I don’t know what I said. I lost my head. And that other man, Fox, kept writing in a book. And then you came and it was as if—oh, as if instead of being alone in the dark and terrified I had someone beside me.’

‘Why wouldn’t you stay with me when they’d gone?’

‘I don’t know. I wanted to think. I was muddled.’

‘I was terrified you wouldn’t come here tonight, Decima.’

‘I shouldn’t have come. What are we to do about Will?’

‘Tell him.’

‘He’ll be so bewildered,’ said Decima, ‘and so miserable.’

‘Would you have married him if this hadn’t happened?’

‘I haven’t said I would marry you.’

‘I have,’ said Cubitt.

‘I don’t know that I believe in the institution of marriage.’

‘You’ll find that out when you’ve tried it, my darling.’

‘I’m a farmer’s daughter. A peasant.’

‘The worst of you communists,’ said Cubitt, ‘is that you’re such snobs. Always worrying about class distinctions. Come here.’

‘Norman,’ said Decima presently, ‘who do you think it was?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t know.’

Cubitt pressed her hands against him and, after a moment, spoke evenly. ‘Did Will ever guess about you and Luke?’

She moved away from him at arm’s length. ‘You can’t think Will would do it?’

‘Did he guess?’

‘I don’t think I—’

‘I rather thought he had guessed,’ said Cubitt.

III

When Alleyn had gone out, the atmosphere of the taproom changed. Parish began to talk to Abel, Miss Darrah asked Legge when he was moving into Illington, Mr Nark cleared his throat and, by the simple expedient of shouting down every one else, won the attention of the company.

‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Axing the road to Shankley Court, was he? Ah. I expected it.’

Abel gave a disgruntled snort.