‘If I may,’ he said to Charles, ‘I’ll ask Colonel Warrender to give me an account of the period before your wife left the party and went up to her room. If, sir, you would like to amend or question or add to anything he says, please do so.’

They waited for several moments and then without looking up Charles said: ‘Very well. Though God knows what difference it can make.’

Warrender straightened his back, touched his Brigade of Guards tie, and made his report, with the care and, one would have said, the precision of experience.

He had, he said, been near to Mary Bellamy from the time she left her post by the door and moved through her guests towards the conservatory. She had spoken to one group after another. He gave several names. She had then joined a small party in the conservatory.

Alleyn was taking notes. At this point there was a pause. Warrender was staring straight in front of him. Charles had not moved.

‘Yes?’ Alleyn said.

‘She stayed in there until the birthday cake was brought in,’ Warrender said.

‘And the other people in her group stayed there too?’

‘No,’ Charles said. ‘I came out and – I spoke to two of our guests who – who were leaving early.’

‘Yes? Did you return?’

He said wearily: ‘I told Gracefield, our butler, to start the business with the cake. I stayed in the main rooms until they brought it in.’

Alleyn said: ‘Yes. And then – ?’

‘They came in with the cake,’ Warrender said. ‘And she came out and Marchant – her Management is Marchant & Company – Marchant gave the birthday speech.’

‘And did the other people in the conservatory come out?’

‘Yes.’

‘With Miss Bellamy?’

Warrender said: ‘Not with her.’

‘After her?’

‘No. Before. Some of them. I expect all of them, except Marchant.’

‘You, yourself, sir? What did you do?’

‘I came out before she did.’

‘Did you stay in the main rooms?’

‘No,’ he said. ‘I went into the hall for a moment.’ Alleyn waited. ‘To say goodbye,’ Warrender said, ‘to the two people who were leaving early.’

‘Oh, yes. Who were they?’

‘Feller called Browne and his niece.’

‘And having done that you returned?’

‘Yes,’ he said.

‘To the conservatory?’

‘No. To the dining-room. That’s where the speech was made.’

‘Had it begun when you returned?’

Still looking straight before him, Warrender said: ‘Finished. She was replying.’

‘Really? You stayed in the hall for some time then?’

‘Longer,’ he said, ‘than I’d intended. Didn’t realize the ceremony had begun, isn’t it?’

‘Do you remember who the other people were? The ones who probably came out before Miss Bellamy from the conservatory?’

‘Miss Cavendish and Saracen. And Timon Gantry, the producer-man. Your second-in-command went over all this and asked them to stay.’