‘You saw it then? Charming, isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ Alleyn said. ‘Charming.’

Anelida had been watching Alleyn, as he was well aware, very closely. She now asked him the question he had expected.

‘Mr Alleyn,’ Anelida said. ‘Do you think it was not an accident?’

He gave her the inevitable answer. ‘We don’t know. We’re not sure.’

‘But what do you believe? In your heart? I must know. I won’t do anything silly or make a nuisance of myself. Do you believe she was murdered?’

Alleyn said: ‘I’m afraid I do, Anelida.’

‘Have you told Richard?’

‘Not in so many words.’

‘But he guessed?’

‘I don’t know,’ Alleyn said carefully,’ what he thought. I’ve left him to himself for a little.’

‘Why?’

‘He’s had a very bad shock. He fainted.’

She looked steadily at him and then with a quick collected movement rose to her feet.

‘Unk,’ she said, ‘don’t wait up for me and don’t worry.’

‘My dear girl,’ he said, in a fluster, ‘what do you mean? Where are you going?’

‘To Richard,’ she said. ‘Where else? Of course to Richard.’

CHAPTER 6

On The Scent

When Anelida rang the bell at 2 Pardoner’s Place, it was answered, almost at once, by a policeman.

She said: ‘It’s Miss Lee. I’ve been talking to Superintendent Alleyn. He knows I’m here and I think is probably coming himself in a moment. I want to speak to Mr Richard Dakers.’

The policeman said: ‘I see, miss. Well, now, if you’ll wait a moment I’ll just find out whether that’ll be all right. Perhaps you’d take a chair.’

‘No, thank you. I want to see him at once, please.’

‘I’ll ascertain …’ he had begun rather austerely when Alleyn himself arrived.

‘Sir?’

‘Yes, all right. Is Mr Dakers still in the drawing-room? Good.’ Alleyn looked at Anelida. ‘Come along,’ he said. She lifted her chin and went to him.

She was in a state of mind she had never before experienced. It was as if her thoughts and desires and behaviour had been abruptly simplified and were governed by a single intention. She knew that somewhere within herself she must be afraid, but she also knew that fear, as things had turned out, was inadmissible.

She followed Alleyn across the hall. He said: ‘Here you are,’ and opened a door. She went from the hall into the drawing-room.

Immediately inside the door was a tall leather screen. She walked round it and there, staring out of a window, was Richard. Anelida moved a little towards him and halted. This gave her time to realize how very much she liked the shape of his head and at once she felt an immense tenderness for him and even a kind of exultation. In a second, she would speak his name, she would put herself absolutely on his side.

‘Richard,’ she said.