‘Most of your guests were still at supper, I think,’ said Alleyn. ‘I’ve spoken to the servant on duty on the top landing and he fancies he can remember that you came upstairs round about that time.’

The purple veins in Sir Herbert’s red cheeks suddenly started up.

‘By God, I should think the fellow did remember, confound his impudence. Certainly, I went on to the top landing and it was one o’clock. You are perfectly right, Mr Alleyn. I pay these damn caterers a fortune to organize the whole affair and I expect, not unreasonably I hope, a certain standard of efficiency. And what do I find? No matches! No matches in the sitting-out room at the head of the stairs and the damn place smothered in ash. A lighted cigarette burning the mantelpiece! It was underneath the clock. That’s how I remember the time. Just on one o’clock, as you say. I trust I’m a reasonable sort of fellow, Alleyn, but I don’t mind telling you I saw red. I went out on to the landing and I gave that fellow a dressing-down he won’t forget in a hurry. Sent him haring off downstairs with a flea in his ear. Damn spoon-fed dago!’

‘Were you on the landing all this time, sir?’

‘Of course I wasn’t on the landing all the time! I was in and out of the blasted sitting-room, damn it. I went upstairs at, I suppose, about five to one, walked into this room and found it in the condition I’ve described. I would have looked at the other room, the one with the telephone, but I saw there was a couple sitting out in there. Behaving, I may say, more like a footman and a housemaid than the sort of people one is accustomed to receive as one’s guests. However! The man came sneaking out just as I was blasting this damned waiter-fellow. He hung about the landing. This fellow Withers, I mean. Don’t know if I gave you his name before. Then the lady came out and scuttled into the cloakroom. Yes, by God, sir, and Robert Gospell came upstairs and went into the telephone room.’

Carrados blew out his moustache triumphantly. ‘There you are!’ he said. ‘Into the room to telephone.’

‘Splendid, sir. Now may I just go over this to make sure I’ve got it right? You came out of the first sitting-room and spoke to the waiter. Captain Withers came out of the second room (the telephone-room) followed in a moment by Mrs Halcut-Hackett, who went into the cloakroom.’

‘Here!’ ejaculated Carrados, ‘I didn’t mention the lady’s name, Alleyn. By God, I hope I know my manners better than to use a lady’s name out of turn.’

Alleyn achieved an expression of gentlemanly cunning.

‘I’m afraid, sir, I rather jumped to conclusions.’

‘Really? D’you mean it’s common talk? An American, wasn’t she? Well, well, well, I’m sorry to hear that. Halcut-Hackett’s a very old friend of mine. I’m very sorry to hear that.’