He walked past a lowish thicket of evergreens, pointed his light into the depths beyond and illuminated Alfred Belt with Mrs Mitchell, transfixed in his arms.

‘I’m sure I beg your pardon, sir,’ said Alfred.

Mrs Mitchell said: ‘Oh, dear; what a coincidence! What will the gentlemen be thinking,’ and tittered.

‘What we’ll be thinking,’ Alleyn said, ‘depends to a certain extent on what you’ll be saying. Come out.’

Alfred looked at his arms as if they didn’t belong to him, released Mrs Mitchell and advanced to the drive. ‘I should have thought, sir,’ he said with restraint, ‘that the circumstance was self-explanatory.’

‘We didn’t return by the side gate,’ Mrs Mitchell offered, ‘on account of my not fancying it after what has taken place.’

‘A very natural feminine reaction, sir, if I may say so.’

‘We were returning,’ said Mrs Mitchell, ‘from the church social.’

‘Mrs Mitchell has been presented with the long-service Girls’ Friendly Award. Richly deserved. I was offering my congratulations.’

‘Jolly good,’ Alleyn said. ‘May I offer mine?’

‘Thank you very much, I’m sure. It’s a teapot,’ Mrs Mitchell said, exhibiting her trophy.

‘And of course, a testimonial,’ Alfred amended.

‘Splendid. And you have spent the evening together?’

‘Not to say together, sir. Mrs Mitchell as befitted the occasion, occupied the rostrum. I am merely her escort,’ said Alfred.

‘The whole thing,’ Alleyn confessed, ‘fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. What are you going to do next?’

‘Next, sir?’

‘Next.’

‘Well, sir. As it’s something of an event, I hope to persuade Mrs Mitchell to join me in a nightcap after which we will retire,’ Alfred said with some emphasis, ‘to our respective accommodations.’

‘Dog permitting,’ Mrs Mitchell said abruptly.

‘Dog?’

‘Pixie, sir. She is still at large. There may be disturbances.’

‘Alfred,’ Alleyn said, ‘when did you leave Mr Period?’

‘Leave him, sir?’

‘Tonight?’

‘After I had served coffee, sir, which was at eight thirty.’

‘Do you know if he was expecting a telephone call?’

‘Not that I was aware,’ Alfred said. ‘He didn’t mention it. Is anything the matter, sir, with Mr Period?’

‘Yes,’ Alleyn said, ‘there is. He has been the victim of a murderous assault and is severely concussed.’

‘Oh, my Gawd!’ Mrs Mitchell ejaculated and clapped a hand over her mouth.

‘My gentleman? Where is he? Here,’ Alfred said loudly, ‘let me go in!’

‘By all means. You will find Doctor Elekton there and Superintendent Williams. Report to them, will you?’

‘Certainly, sir,’ said Alfred.

‘One other thing. When did you empty the ash-trays in the library?’

‘After dinner, sir … As usual.’

‘Splendid. Thank you.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ Alfred said automatically.

Alleyn saw them go in and himself crossed the green to Miss Cartell’s house. A belated couple closely entwined, was making its way home, presumably from the social. Otherwise all was quiet.

He found Fox in Miss Cartell’s drawing-room with the household rounded up before him. On these occasions Fox always reminded Alleyn of a dependable sheep-dog.