‘He said he was particularly angry because Panty, he insisted it was Panty, had disturbed two important documents that were on his dressing-table. He said that if she’d been able to understand them she would have realized they concerned her very closely. That’s all. Is it anything?’

‘It’s almost everything.’

‘I’m sorry I didn’t remember before, Rory.’

‘It wouldn’t have fitted before. I’ll be home tonight. I love you very much.’

‘Goodbye.’

‘Goodbye.’

When Alleyn came out into the hall, Fox was there waiting for him.

‘I’ve been having a bit of a time with the doctor,’ Fox said. ‘Bream and our chap are with him now. I thought I’d better let you know, Mr Alleyn.’

‘What happened?’

‘When I searched him I found this in his left-hand side pocket.’ Fox laid his handkerchief on the hall table and opened it out, disclosing a very small bottle with a screw top. It was almost empty. A little colourless fluid lay at the bottom.

‘He swears,’ said Fox, ‘that he’s never seen it before, but it was on him all right.’

Alleyn stood looking at the little phial for a long moment. Then he said: ‘I think this settles it, Fox. I think we’ll have to take a risk.’

‘Ask a certain party to come up to the Yard?’

‘Yes. And hold a certain party while this stuff is analysed. But there’s no doubt in my mind about it, Fox. It’ll be thallium acetate.’

‘I’ll be glad to make this arrest,’ said Fox heavily, ‘and that’s a fact.’

Alleyn did not answer, and after another pause Fox jerked his head at the drawing-room door. ‘Shall I—?’

‘Yes.’

Fox went away and Alleyn waited alone in the hall. Behind the great expanse of stained-glass windows there was sunlight. A patchwork of primary colours lay across the wall where Henry Ancred’s portrait was to have hung. The staircase mounted into shadows, and out of sight, on the landing, a clock ticked. Above the enormous fireplace, the fifth baronet pointed his sword complacently at a perpetual cloudburst. A smouldering log settled with a whisper on the hearth, and somewhere, away in the servants’ quarters, a voice was raised and placidly answered.

The drawing-room door opened, and with a firm step, and a faint meaningless smile on her lips, Millamant Ancred came out and crossed the hall to Alleyn.

‘I believe you wanted me,’ she said.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Final Curtain

‘IT WAS THE MASS of detail,’ Troy said slowly, ‘that muddled me at first. I kept trying to fit the practical jokes into the pattern and they wouldn’t go.’

‘They fit,’ Alleyn rejoined, ‘but only because she used them after the event.’

‘I’d be glad if you’d sort out the essentials, Rory.’