‘What’s more, there was a Press photographer near the foot of the stairs, a cinematographer half-way up, and a subsidiary bar at the foot of the back stairs with a caterer’s man on duty throughout. He saw Florence and Ninn and nobody else go up. What’s that leave us in the way of a roaring-hot suspect?’

‘It means,’ Fox said, ‘either that one of those two women fixed it then …’

‘But when? You mean before they met on the landing and tried to listen in on the famous scene?’

‘I suppose I do. Yes. While the photograph was being taken.’

‘Yes?’

‘Alternatively someone else went up before that.’

‘Again, when? It would have to be after the cinema unit moved away and before Mrs Templeton left the conservatory and came out into the hall where she was photographed with Dakers glowering in the background. And it would have to be before she took him upstairs.’

‘Which restricts you to the entrance with the birthday cake and the speeches. I reckon someone could have slipped upstairs then.’

‘The general attention being focused on the speakers and the stairs being clear? Yes. I agree with you. So far. But, see here, Fox; this expert didn’t do the trick as simply as that. I’m inclined to think there was one more visit at least, more likely that there were two more, one before and one after the death. Tidying up, you know. If I’m right, there was a certain amount of tidying up.’

‘My God,’ Fox began with unwonted heat, ‘what are you getting at, Mr Alleyn? It’s tough enough as it is, d’you want to make it more difficult? What’s the idea?’

‘If it’s any good it’s going to make it easier. Much easier.’

Alleyn stood up.

‘You know, Br’er Fox,’ he said, ‘I can see only one explanation that really fits. Take a look at what’s offering. Suicide? Leave her party, go up to her bedroom and spray herself to death? They all scout the notion and so do I. Accident? We’ve had it: the objection being the inappropriateness of the moment for her to horticult and the nature of the stains. Homicide? All right. What’s the jury asked to believe? That she stood stockstill while her murderer pumped a deluge of Slaypest into her face at long and then at short range? Defending Counsel can’t keep a straight face over that one. But if, by any giddy chance, I’m on the right track, there’s an answer that still admits homicide. Now, listen, while I check over and see if you can spot a weakness.’

Mr Fox listened placidly to a succinct argument, his gaze resting thoughtfully the while on the tin, the bottle, and the scent spray.