‘You force me to speak of it,’ she said. ‘All of you. You talk about us all agreeing to this discussion, Fabian. When you and Ursula and Douglas planned it, how could I not agree? It’s not my business to refuse. I’m an outsider. I was paid to work for Mrs Rubrick, and now you, Fabian, pay me to work for you in your garden. It’s not my business to refuse.’

‘Nonsense, Terry,’ said Fabian.

‘You’ve never been in my position. You don’t understand. You’re all very kind and informal and treat me, as we say in my class, almost like one of yourselves. Almost, not quite.’

‘My dear girl, that’s an insult to me, at least. You know quite enough about my views to realize that any such attitude is revolting to me. “Your class.” How dare you go class-conscious at me, Terry.’

‘You’re my boss. You were not too much of a communist to accept Mount Moon when he left it to you.’

‘I think,’ said Alleyn crisply, ‘that we might come back to the question which, believe me, Miss Lynne, you are under no compulsion to answer. This is it. Did Mrs Rubrick, during the last week of her life, become aware of the attachment between you and her husband?’

‘And if I don’t answer what will you think? What will you do? Go to Mrs Aceworthy, who dislikes me intensely, and get some monstrously distorted story that she’s concocted. When he was ill he wanted me to look after him and wouldn’t see her or have her here. She’s never forgiven me. Better you should hear the truth from me.’

‘Very much better,’ Alleyn agreed cheerfully. ‘Let’s have it.’