‘The truth is,’ Alleyn rejoined, ‘my visits only arise, I’m afraid, out of some sort of trouble.’

Mr Rattisbon instantly hunched himself, placed his elbows on his desk and joined his finger-tips in front of his chin.

‘I’ve come to ask about certain circumstances that relate to the late Sir Henry Ancred’s Will. Or Wills.’

Mr Rattisbon vibrated the tip of his tongue between his lips, rather as if he had scalded it and hoped in this manner to cool it off. He said nothing.

‘Without more ado,’ Alleyn went on, ‘I must tell you that we are going to ask for an exhumation.’

After a considerable pause Mr Rattisbon said: ‘This is exceedingly perturbing.’

‘May I, before we go any further, say I do think that instead of coming to us with the story I’m about to relate, Sir Henry’s successors might have seen fit to consult their solicitor.’

‘Thank yer.’

‘I don’t know, sir, of course, how you would have advised them, but I believe that this visit must sooner or later have taken place. Here is the story.’

Twenty minutes later Mr Rattisbon tipped himself back in his chair and gave a preparatory bay at the ceiling.

‘Ma-m-ah!’ he said. ‘Extraordinary. Disquieting. Very.’

‘You will see that all this rigmarole seems to turn about two factors, (a) It was common knowledge in his household that Sir Henry Ancred was to be embalmed, (b) He repeatedly altered his Will, and on the eve of his death appears to have done so in favour of his intended wife, largely to the exclusion of his family and in direct contradiction to an announcement he made a couple of hours earlier. It’s here, I hope, Mr Rattisbon, that you can help us.’

‘I am,’ said Mr Rattisbon, ‘in an unusual, not to say equivocal, position. Um. As you have very properly noted, Chief Inspector, the correct procedure on the part of the family, particularly on the part of Sir Cedric Gaisbrooke Percival Ancred, would have been to consult this office. He has elected not to do so. In the event of a criminal action he will scarcely be able to avoid doing so. It appears that the general intention of the family is to discredit the position of the chief beneficiary and further to suggest that there is a case for a criminal charge against her. I refer, of course, to Miss Gladys Clark.’

‘To whom?’

‘—known professionally as Miss Sonia Orrincourt.’

‘ “Gladys Clark,” ’ Alleyn said thoughtfully. ‘Well!’

‘Now, as the solicitor for the estate, I am concerned in the matter. On consideration, I find no objection to giving you such information as you require. Indeed, I conceive it to be my professional duty to do so.’