She did so. Fox resignedly shut the door. He put a chair behind Ninn, but she disregarded it. She faced Alleyn over her own folded arms. To look in his face she was obliged to tilt her own acutely backwards and in doing so gave out such an astonishingly potent effluvium that she might have been a miniature volcano smouldering with port and due to erupt. Her voice was sepulchral and her manner truculent.

‘I fancied,’ she said, ‘I knew a gentleman when I saw one and I hope you’re not going to be a disappointment. Don’t answer me back: I prefer to form my own opinion.’

Alleyn did not answer her back.

‘That Floy,’ Old Ninn continued, ‘has been at you. A bad background, if ever there was one. What’s bred in the child comes out in the woman. Don’t believe a word of what she tells you. What’s she been saying about the boy?’

‘About Mr Dakers?’

‘Certainly. A man to you, seem he may; to me who knows him inside out, he’s a boy. Twenty-eight and famous, I dare say, but no more harm in him than there ever has been, which is never. Sensitive, and fanciful, yes. Not practical, granted. Vicious, fiddle! Now. What’s that Floy been putting about?’

‘Nothing very terrible, Ninn.’

‘Did she say he was ungrateful? Or bad mannered?

‘Well …’

‘He’s nothing of the sort. What else?’

Alleyn was silent. Old Ninn unfolded her arms. She laid a tiny gnarled paw on Alleyn’s hand. ‘Tell me what else,’ she said, glaring into his face, ‘I’ve got to know. Tell me.’

‘You tell me,’ he said, and put his hand over hers. ‘What was the matter between Mr Richard and Mrs Templeton? It’s better I should know. What was it?’

She stared at him. Her lips moved but no sound came from them.

‘You saw him,’ Alleyn said, ‘when he came out of her room. What was the matter? Florence told us …’

‘She told you! She told you that!’

‘I’d have found out, you know. Can you clear it up for us? Do, if you can.’

She shook her head in a very desolate manner. Her eyes were glazed with tears and her speech had become uncertain. He supposed she had fortified herself with an extra glass before tackling him and it was now taking full effect.

‘I can’t say,’ she said indistinctly. ‘I don’t know. One of her tantrums. A tyrant from the time she could speak. The boy’s never anything but good and patient.’ And after a moment she added quite briskly: ‘Doesn’t take after her in that respect. More like the father.’

Fox looked up from his notes. Alleyn remained perfectly still. Old Ninn rocked very slightly on her feet and sat down.

‘Mr Templeton?’ Alleyn said.

She nodded two or three times with her eyes shut. ‘You may well say so,’ she murmured, ‘you – may – well …’ Her voice trailed into silence and she dozed.