‘I told you she was as clever as a bagful of monkeys, didn’t I? That’s what this thing doesn’t convey. She was sharp. For example she was wise enough to avoid tackling Ursy about me and, still more remarkable, she had denied herself too many heart-to-heart talks with Ursy about Douglas. I imagine what she did say was indirect, a building up of allusive romantics. She was by no means incapable of subtlety. Just a spot or two of the Beatrice and Benedict stuff and the merest hint that she’d be so, so happy if ever—and then a change of topic. Like that, wasn’t it, Ursy?’

‘But she would have liked it,’ said Ursula unhappily. ‘She was so fond of Douglas.’

‘And not so fond of me. From what you’ve heard already, Mr Alleyn, you’ll have gathered that my popularity had waned. I wasn’t a good enough yes-man for Flossie. I hadn’t responded too well to her terrifying ministrations when she nursed me and she didn’t really like my friendship with Uncle Arthur.’

‘That’s nonsense,’ Ursula said. ‘Honestly, darling, it’s the purest bilge. She told me it was so nice for Uncle Arthur having you to talk to.’

‘You old innocent,’ he said, ‘of course she did. She disliked it intensely. It was something outside the Flossie System, something she wasn’t in on. I was very fond of my Uncle Arthur,’ Fabian said thoughtfully, ‘he was a good vintage, dry, with a nice bouquet. Wasn’t he, Terry?’

‘You’re straying from the point,’ said Terence.

‘Right. After Ursy and I had come to our decision I tried to be very non-committal and unexalted but I suppose I made a poor fist at it. I was—translated. I’m afraid,’ said Fabian abruptly, ‘that all this is intolerably egotistical but I don’t see how that can be avoided. At any rate, Flossie spotted something was up. That eye of hers! You do get a hint of it in the portrait. It was sort of blank and yet the pupils had the looks of drills. Ursy managed better than I did. She rather made up to you, Douglas, didn’t she, during lunch?’

The fire had burned low and the glowing ball of the kerosene lamp was behind Douglas but Alleyn thought that he had turned redder in the face. His hand went to his moustache and he said in an easy, jocular voice: ‘I think Ursy and I understood each other pretty well, didn’t we, Ursy? We both knew our Flossie, what?’

Ursy moved uncomfortably. ‘No, Douglas,’ she said. ‘I won’t quite take that. I mean—oh, well, it doesn’t matter.’

‘Come on, Douglas,’ said Fabian with something of his former impishness, ‘be a little gent and take your medicine.’