‘I’ve only one more question in any case, Cliff,’ said Alleyn. ‘Once at home, did you go out again?’

‘No. I sat in the kitchen with Dad and Mr Markins. I was still there when Mr Markins came back the second time to say there’d been an accident.’

‘All right.’ Alleyn moved away from the fireplace and sat on the arm of the sofa. His audience also shifted a little, like sheep, he thought, keeping an eye on the dog.

‘Well,’ he said. ‘That about covers the collective questions. I’d like to see some of you individually. I think, Grace, that you and I had better have a consultation, hadn’t we?’

‘By all means,’ said Douglas, looking a little as if he had been summoned to preside over a court-martial. ‘I quite agree, sir.’

‘Perhaps we could move into the study for a moment. I’d like you all to stay here, if you don’t mind. We shan’t be long.’

The study was piercingly cold. Douglas lit a lamp and the fire, and they sat together on the wooden fender while, above them, Florence Rubrick’s portrait stared at nothing.

‘I don’t think Losse ought to be bothered with a plan of action just yet,’ Alleyn said. ‘Do you?’

‘Oh, no. Good Lord, no.’

‘I wanted to consult you about our next move. I’ll have to report this business to the police, you know.’

‘Oh, God!’

‘Well, I’ll have to.’

‘They’re such hopeless chaps, sir. And to have them mucking about again with notebooks! However! I quite see. It’s not altogether your affair, is it?’

‘Only in so far as I was the intended victim,’ said Alleyn dryly.

‘You know,’ Douglas muttered with owlish concern, ‘I’d come to that conclusion myself. Disgraceful, you know.’

Alleyn disregarded this quaint reflection on the ethics of attempted murder.

‘They may,’ he said, ‘ask me to carry on for a bit, or they may come fuming up here themselves, but the decision rests with them.’

‘Quite. Well, I jolly well hope they do leave it to you. I’m sure we all feel like that about it.’

‘Including the assailant, do you suppose?’

Douglas pulled his moustache. ‘Hardly,’ he said. ‘That joker would be quite a lot happier without you, I imagine.’ He laughed heartily.

‘Evidently. But of course he may choose to have another whack at me.’

‘Don’t you worry, sir,’ said Douglas kindly. ‘We’ll look after that.’

His complacency irritated Alleyn. ‘Who’s we?’ he asked.

‘I’ll make it my personal responsibility—’

‘You,’ said Alleyn warmly. ‘My dear man, you’re a suspect. How do I know you won’t come after me with a bludgeon?’

Douglas turned scarlet, ‘I don’t know if you’re serious, Mr Alleyn,’ he began, but Alleyn interrupted him. ‘Of course I’m serious.’

‘In that case,’ said Douglas grandly, ‘there’s no more to be said.’