From the stairs came the sound of heavy steps. Harper and the second constable came down with Legge between them. Alleyn had left the taproom door open. Six pairs of eyes turned to watch Legge go out.

Miss Darragh suddenly called out, ‘Cheer up, now. It’s nothing at all, man. I’ll go bail for you.’

Will started forward.

‘I want to speak to him.’

‘Certainly,’ said Alleyn.

‘I’m sorry it has turned out this way, mate,’ said Will. ‘Damned injustice and nothing less. It won’t make any difference with the Party. You know that. We’ll stick by you. Wish I’d bloodied ‘tother nose and gone to clink along with you.’

‘They’ve got a down on me,’ said Legge desolately.

‘I know that. Good luck!’

‘Come along now,’ said Harper. ‘Get a move on. Ready, Oates?’

Oates went out to them and Alleyn shut the door.

‘Well,’ said Parish. ‘I call that a step in the right direction, Mr Alleyn.’

‘For God’s sake, Seb, hold your tongue,’ said Cubitt.

‘What d’you mean by that, Mr Parish?’ demanded Will. ‘You’d better be careful what you’re saying, hadn’t you?’

‘That’s no way to speak, sonny,’ said Abel.

‘While I’ve a tongue in my head—’ began Will.

‘You’ll set a guard on it, I hope,’ said Alleyn. ‘Good night, gentlemen.’

They filed out one by one. Parish was the only one who spoke. With his actor’s instinct for an effective exit he turned in the doorway.

‘I imagine,’ he said, looking steadily at Alleyn, ‘that I shan’t be run in for contempt if I venture to suggest that this gentleman’s departure marks the beginning of the end.’

‘Oh, no,’ said Alleyn politely. ‘We shan’t run you in for that, Mr Parish.’

Parish gave a light laugh and followed the others upstairs.

Only Miss Darragh remained. She put her knitting into a large chintz bag, took off her spectacles and looked steadily at Alleyn.

‘I suppose you had to take that poor fellow in charge,’ she said. ‘He behaved very foolishly. But he’s a mass of nerves, you know. It’s a doctor he’s needing, not a policeman.’

‘Who? Mr Montague Thringle?’ asked Alleyn vaguely.

‘So the cat’s out of the bag is ut?’ said Miss Darragh placidly. ‘Ah, well, I suppose ‘twas bound to be. I’ve kept my end of the bargain.’

‘I’d very much like to know what it was,’ said Alleyn.

‘Didn’t you guess?’

‘I wondered if by any chance Lord Bryonie’s family had promised to keep an eye on Mr Thringle.’