‘Then we’ll bother you no longer, Mrs Halcut-Hackett,’ said Alleyn, standing before her. She rose from her chair. He saw that there was a sort of question in her eyes. ‘Is there anything you would like to add to what you have said?’ he asked.

‘No. No. But you said a little while ago that you would find out about what you asked me before. You said you’d trace it another way.’

‘Oh,’ said Alleyn cheerfully, ‘you mean whether you went from Marsdon House to the Matador in Captain Withers’s car, and if so, how long it took. Yes, we’ll ask the commissionaire and the man in the office at the Matador. They may be able to help.’

‘My God, you mustn’t do that!’

‘Why not?’

‘You can’t do that. For God’s sake say you won’t. For God’s sake…’

Her voice rose to a stifled, hysterical scream, ending in a sort of gasp. Fox sighed heavily and gave Alleyn a look of patient endurance. Mrs Halcut-Hackett drew breath. The door opened.

A plain girl, dressed to go out, walked into the room.

‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘I didn’t know—’

Mrs Halcut-Hackett stared round her with the air of a trapped mastodon and finally blundered from the room as fast as her French heels would carry her.

The door slammed behind her.

The plain girl, who was most beautifully curled, painted and dressed, looked from Alleyn to Fox.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she repeated nervously. ‘I’m afraid I shouldn’t have come in. Ought I to go and see if there’s anything I can do?’

‘If I were you,’ said Alleyn, ‘I don’t think I should. Mrs Halcut-Hackett is very much distressed over last night’s tragedy and I expect she would rather be alone. Are you Miss Birnbaum?’

‘Yes, I am. You’re detectives, aren’t you?’

‘That’s us. My name is Alleyn and this is Mr Fox.’

‘Oh, how d’you do?’ said Miss Birnbaum hurriedly. She hesitated and then gave them her hand. She looked doubtfully into Alleyn’s face. He felt the chilly little fingers tighten their grip like those of a frightened child.

‘I expect you’ve found it rather upsetting too, haven’t you?’

‘Yes,’ she said dutifully. ‘It’s dreadful, isn’t it?’ She twisted her fingers together. ‘Lord Robert was very kind, wasn’t he? He was very kind to me.’

‘I hope your toothache’s better,’ said Alleyn.

She looked at her hands and then up into his face.

‘I didn’t have toothache,’ she said.

‘No?’

‘No. I just wanted to go home. I hate coming out,’ added Miss Birnbaum with extraordinary vigour. ‘I knew I would and I do.’

‘That’s bad luck. Why do you do it?’

‘Because,’ said Miss Birnbaum with devastating frankness, ‘my mother paid Mrs Hackett, I mean Mrs Halcut-Hackett, five hundred pounds to bring me out.’

‘Hi!’ said Alleyn, ‘aren’t you talking out of school?’