‘Oh, yes, indeed, sir. He rang for me as usual. It was midnight when the bell went, and I came up to his room. I’d valeted him, sir, since his own man left.’

‘Did he ring his room bell?’

‘No, sir. He always rang the bell in the hall as he went through. By the time he reached his room, you see, I had gone up the servants’ stairs and was waiting for him.’

‘How did he seem?’

‘Terrible. In one of his tantrums and talking very wild and angry.’

‘Against his family?’

‘Very hot against them.’

‘Go on.’

‘I got him into his pyjamas and gown and him raging all the while and troubled with his indigestion pain as well. I put out the medicine he took for it. He said he wouldn’t take it just then so I left the bottle and glass by his bed. I was offering to help him into bed when he says he must see Mr Rattisbon. He’s the family solicitor, sir, and always comes to us for The Birthday. Well, sir, I tried to put Sir Henry off, seeing he was tired and upset, but he wouldn’t hear of it. When I took him by the arm he got quite violent. I was alarmed and tried to hold him but he broke away.’

Alleyn had a sudden vision of the two old men struggling together in this grandiose bedroom.

‘Seeing there was nothing for it,’ Barker went on, ‘I did as he ordered, and took Mr Rattisbon up to his room. He called me back and told me to find the two extra helps we always get in for The Birthday. A Mr and Mrs Candy, sir, formerly on the staff here and now in a small business in the village. I understood from what Sir Henry said that he wished them to witness his Will. I showed them up, and he then told me to inform Miss Orrincourt that he would be ready for his hot drink in half an hour. He said he would not require me again. So I left him.’

‘And went to give this message?’

‘After I had switched over the mechanism of his bell, sir, so that if he required anything in the night it would sound in the passage outside Mrs Henry’s door. It has been specially arranged like this, in case of an emergency, and, of course, sir, it must have broke off in his hand before it sounded, because even if Mrs Henry had slept through it, Miss Dessy was sharing her room and must have heard. Miss Dessy sleeps very light, I understand.’

‘Isn’t it strange that he didn’t call out?’

‘He wouldn’t be heard, sir. The walls in this part of the house are very thick, being part of the original outer walls. The previous baronet, sir, added this wing to Ancreton.’

‘I see. At this time where was Miss Orrincourt?’