‘Yes. Then. It must have been then. During all the movement and excitement just before the speeches. He went upstairs, emptied out some of the scent and filled up the atomiser with Slaypest. He returned during the speeches. As she left the drawing-room she came face to face with him. Florence heard him ask her not to use the scent.’

Warrender gave an exclamation. ‘Yes?’ Alleyn asked.

‘Good God, d’you mean it was a – kind of gamble? If she did as he’d asked – like those gambles on suicide? Fella with a revolver. Half-live, half-blank cartridges.’

‘Exactly that. Only this time it was a gamble in murder.’ Alleyn looked at them. ‘It may seem strange that I tell you in detail so much that is painful and shocking. I do so because I believe that it is less damaging in the long run to know rather than to doubt.’

‘Of course it is,’ Anelida said quickly. ‘Richard, my dear, isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ Richard said. ‘I expect it is. Yes, it is.’

‘Well, then,’ Alleyn said. ‘Immediately after he’d spoken to her, you came in. The photographs were taken and you went upstairs together. You tackled her about her treatment of Anelida, didn’t you?’

‘It would be truer to say she attacked me. But, yes – we were both terribly angry. I’ve told you.’

‘And it ended in her throwing your parentage in your teeth?’

‘It ended with that.’

‘When you’d gone she hurled your birthday present into the bathroom where it smashed to pieces. Instead of at once returning downstairs she went through an automatic performance. She powdered her face and painted her mouth. And then – well, then it happened. She used her scent spray, holding it at arm’s length. The windows were shut. It had an immediate effect, but not the effect he’d anticipated.’

‘What d’you mean?’ Warrender asked.

‘You’ve read the dictionary of poisons he bought. You may remember it gives a case of instant and painless death. But it doesn’t always act in that way.’

‘He thought it would?’

‘Probably. In this case, she became desperately ill. Florence came in and found her so. Do you remember what Charles Templeton said when Florence raised the alarm?’

Warrender thought for a moment. ‘Yes. I do. He said “My God, not now!” I thought he meant: ‘ Not a temperament at this juncture.”

‘Whereas he meant: “Not now. Not so soon.” He then rushed upstairs. There was some delay in getting Harkness under way, wasn’t there?’

‘Tight. Bad show. I put ice down his neck.’