‘Her last idea,’ Alleyn said, ‘was to throw suspicion on Dr Withers, who’s a considerable beneficiary in both Wills. She put thallium in the milk when the tea-tray was sent in to Miss Able, knowing Withers and Sonia Orrincourt were there and knowing Sonia was the only one who took milk. A little later she slipped the bottle into Withers’s jacket. With Sonia dead, she thought, the money would revert after all to Cedric.’

‘Very nasty, you know,’ Fox said mildly. ‘Very nasty case indeed, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Horrible,’ Troy said under her breath.

‘And yet, you know,’ Fox went on, ‘it’s a guinea to a goose-berry she only gets a lifer. What do you reckon, sir?’

‘Oh, yes,’ Alleyn said, looking at Troy. ‘It’ll be that if it’s not an acquittal.’

‘But surely—’ Troy began.

‘We haven’t got an eye-witness, Mrs Alleyn, to a single action that would clinch the case. Not one.’ Fox got up slowly. ‘Well, if you’ll excuse me. It’s been a long day.’

Alleyn saw him out. When he returned, Troy was in her accustomed place on the hearthrug. He sat down and after a moment she leant towards him, resting her arm across his knees.

‘Nothing is clear-cut,’ she said, ‘when it comes to one’s views. Nothing.’ He waited. ‘But we’re together,’ she said. ‘Quite together now. Aren’t we?’

‘Quite together,’ Alleyn said.

You’re reading a book in the Felony & Mayhem “Vintage” category. These books were originally published prior to about 1965, and feature the kind of twisty, ingenious puzzles beloved by fans of Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr. If you enjoy this book, you may well like other “Vintage” titles from Felony & Mayhem Press.

“Vintage” titles available as e-books:

The Poisoned Chocolates Case, by Anthony Berkeley

The “Henry Gamadge” series, by Elizabeth Daly

The “Roderick Alleyn” series, by Ngaio Marsh

“Vintage” titles available as print books:

The “Albert Campion” series, by Margery Allingham

The “Gervase Fen” series, by Edmund Crispin

For more about these books, and other Felony & Mayhem titles, please visit our website:

FelonyAndMayhem.com

For Joan and Cecil

with my love