‘Feeling a bit shaky?’

‘A bit. I shall look such an egregious ass if they don’t come up to scratch.’

‘No doubt. It’s a big case, Chief Inspector.’

‘Don’t I know it, sir!’

‘Who comes first?’

‘Sir Herbert and Lady Carrados.’

‘Any of ’em arrived yet?’

‘All except Dimitri. Fox has dotted them about the place. His room, mine, the waiting-room and the charge-room. As soon as Dimitri arrives, Fox’ll come and report.’

‘Right. In the meantime, we’ll go over the plan of action again.’

They went over the plan of action.

‘Well,’ said the Assistant Commissioner, ‘it’s ticklish, but it may work. As I see it, everything depends on the way you handle them.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ said Alleyn grimly, ‘for those few reassuring words.’

The Assistant Commissioner’s clock struck nine. Alleyn knocked out his pipe. There was a tap on the door and Fox came in.

‘We are all ready, sir,’ he said.

‘All right, Mr Fox. Show them in.’

Fox went out. Alleyn glanced at the two chairs under the central lamp, and then at the Assistant Commissioner sitting motionless in the green-shaded light from his desk. Alleyn himself stood before the mantelpiece.

‘Stage set,’ said the quiet voice beyond the green lamp. ‘And now the curtain rises.’

There was a brief silence, and then once more the door opened.

‘Sir Herbert and Lady Carrados, sir.’

They came in. Alleyn moved forward, greeted them formally, and then introduced them to the Assistant Commissioner. Carrados’s manner as he shook hands was a remarkable mixture of the condescension of a viceroy and the fortitude of an early Christian martyr.

The Assistant Commissioner was crisp with them.

‘Good evening, Lady Carrados. Good evening, Sir Herbert. In view of certain information he has received, Chief Detective-Inspector Alleyn and I decided to invite you to come and see us. As the case is in Mr Alleyn’s hands, I shall leave it to him to conduct the conversation. Will you both sit down?’

They sat. The light from the overhead lamp beat down on their faces, throwing strong shadows under the eyes and cheekbones. The two heads turned in unison to Alleyn.

Alleyn said: ‘Most of what I have to say is addressed to you, Sir Herbert.’

‘Indeed?’ said Carrados. ‘Well, Alleyn, as I fancy I told you yesterday afternoon, I am only too anxious to help you to clear up the wretched business. As Lord Robert’s host on that fatal night—’

‘Yes, we quite realize that, sir. Your attitude encourages one to hope that you will understand, or at any rate excuse, my going over old ground, and also breaking into new. I am in a position to tell you that we have followed a very strange trail since yesterday—a trail that has led us to some remarkable conclusions.’

Carrados turned his eyes, but not his head, towards his wife. He did not speak.