He led the way and they followed in silence. Fox came out last and nodded severely to Bream, who was in the passage. Bream moved forward and stationed himself before the door.

Alleyn said: ‘It’s perfectly clear, I’m sure, to all of you that this is a police matter. She was poisoned, and we’ve no reason to suppose she poisoned herself. I may be obliged to make a search of the house (here is the warrant), and I must have a search of the persons in it. Until this has been done none of you may be alone. There is a wardress coming by car from London, and you may, of course, wait for her if you wish.’

He looked at the three faces, all of them marked by the same signs of exhaustion, all turned resentfully towards him. There was a long silence.

‘Well,’ Millamant said at last, with an echo of her old short laugh, ‘you can search me. The thing I want to do most is sit down. I’m tired.’

‘I must say,’ Caroline Able began, ‘I don’t quite—’

‘Here!’ Dr Withers cut in. ‘Will this suit you? I’m these ladies’ medical man. Search me and then let them search each other in my presence. Any good?’

‘That will do admirably. This room here is vacant, I see. Fox, will you take Dr Withers in?’ Without further ado, Dr Withers turned on his heel and made for the open door. Fox followed him in and shut it.

Alleyn turned to the two women. ‘We shan’t keep you long,’ he said, ‘but if, in the meantime, you would like to join the others, I can take you to them.’

‘Where are they?’ Millamant demanded.

‘In the drawing-room.’

‘Personally,’ she said, ‘I’m beyond minding who searches me and who looks on.’ Bream gave a self-conscious cough. ‘If you and Miss Able like to take me into the children’s playroom, which I believe is vacant, I shall be glad to get it over.’

‘Well, really,’ said Miss Able, ‘well, of course, that is an extremely sane point of view, Mrs Ancred. Well, if you don’t object.’

‘Good,’ Alleyn said. ‘Shall we go?’

There was a screen, with Italian primitives pasted over it, in the play-room. The two women, at Alleyn’s suggestion, retired behind it. First Millamant’s extremely sensible garments were thrown out one by one, examined by Alleyn, collected again by Miss Able, and then, after an interval, the process was reversed. Nothing was discovered, and Alleyn, walking between them, escorted the two ladies to the bathroom, and finally through the green baize door and across the hall to the drawing-room.