‘Thank you,’ Bertie said warmly. Gracefield and a maid came in and cleared the table in a deathly silence. When they had gone Bertie broke out again. ‘My God,’ he said. ‘Isn’t it as clear as daylight that every one of us, except Anelida, is under suspicion for something none of us likes to mention?’

‘I do,’ Pinky said. ‘I’m all for mentioning it and indeed if I don’t mention it I believe I’ll go off like a geyser.’

‘No, you won’t, dear,’ Gantry firmly intervened. He was sitting next to Pinky and looked down upon her with a crane-like tilt of his head. ‘You’ll behave beautifully and not start any free-associating nonsense. This is not the time for it.’

‘Timmy, darling, I’m sorry as sorry but I’m moved to defy you,’ Pinky announced with a great show of spirit. ‘In the theatre – never. Outside it and under threat of being accused of murder – yes. There!‘ she ejaculated. ‘I’ve said it! Murder. And aren’t you all relieved?’

Bertie Saracen said at once: ‘Bless you, darling. Immeasurably.’

Timon Gantry and Colonel Warrender simultaneously looked at the back of Philpott’s head and then exchanged glances: two men, Anelida felt, of authority at the mercy of an uncontrollable situation.

‘Very well, then,’ Pinky continued. ‘The police think Mary was murdered and presumably they think one of us murdered her. It sounds monstrous but it appears to be true. The point is, does anyone here agree with them?’

‘I don’t,’ Bertie said. He glanced at the serving-hatch and lowered his voice. ‘After all,’ he said uncomfortably, ‘we’re not the only ones.’

‘If you mean the servants …’ Richard said angrily.

‘I don’t mean anybody in particular,’ Bertie protested in a great hurry.

‘– it’s quite unthinkable.’

‘To my mind,’ Pinky said, ‘the whole thing’s out of this world. I don’t and can’t and won’t believe it of anybody in the house.’

‘Heah, heah,’ Warrender ejaculated lending a preposterously hearty note to the conversation. ‘Ridiculous idea,’ he continued loudly. ‘Alleyn’s behaving altogether too damn’ high-handedly.’ He looked at Richard, hesitated and with an obvious effort said: ‘Don’t you agree?’

Without turning his head, Richard said: ‘He knows his own business, I imagine.’

There was a rather deadly little silence broken by Timon Gantry.

‘For my part,’ Gantry said, ‘I feel the whole handling of the situation is so atrociously hard on Charles Templeton.’

A guilty look came into their faces, Anelida noticed: as if they were ashamed of forgetting Charles. They made sympathetic noises and were embarrassed.