‘The name of Leonard Sydney Leiss appears on the most recent list. Two previous convictions. Obtaining goods under false pretences. The portrait-parlé coincides. It’s a confidential matter, Mr Period, but seeing that the young man gave your name with such assurance and seeing he was very warmly backed up by the young lady who is Miss Constance Cartell’s adopted niece, I thought I would come and mention it, quietly. Particularly, sir, as there’s a complication.’

Mr Period stared dismally at him. ‘Complication?’ he said.

‘Well, sir, yes. You see, for some time Leiss has been working in collusion with a young female who – I’m very sorry, I’m sure, sir – but the description of this young female does tally rather closely with the general appearance of Miss Cartell’s aforesaid adopted niece.’

There was a long silence. Then Mr Period said: ‘This is all rather dreadful.’

‘I take it, sir, you gave the young man no authority to use your name?’

‘Merciful heavens, no.’

‘Then perhaps we may just have a little chat with Mr Cartell?’

Mr Period rang the bell.

Mr Cartell behaved quite differently from Mr Period. He contracted into the shell of what Nicola supposed to be his professional manner as a solicitor. He looked pinched. Two isolated spots of colour appeared on his cheek-bones. Nicola thought he was very angry indeed.

‘I am much obliged to you, Sergeant,’ he said at last, ‘for bringing this affair to my attention. You have acted very properly.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘Very properly. If I may suggest a course of action it will be this. I shall inform my sister of the undesirability of having any further communication with this person: and she will see that his acquaintance with Miss Mary Ralston is terminated. Copper, of course, must be advised at once and he may then, if he thinks it proper, decline any further negotiations.’

Sergeant Raikes opened his mouth, but Mr Cartell raised a finger and he shut it again.

‘I need not add,’ Mr Cartell said crisply, ‘that no undertaking of any kind whatever was given by Mr Period or by myself. Permission was not asked, and would certainly have been declined, for the use of our names. It might be as well, might it not, if I were to telephone Copper at once and suggested that he rids himself of Leiss and the other car which he left, I understand, to be repaired at the garage. I shall then insist that Miss Ralston, who I imagine is there, returns at once. What’s the matter, Raikes?’

‘The matter,’ Sergeant Raikes said warmly, ‘is this, sir. George Copper can’t be told not to make the sale and Miss Ralston can’t be brought back to be warned.’

‘My dear Raikes, why not?’