Kerridge turned his grey gaze on Rose. ‘Why was Mrs Stockton trying to kill you?’

‘I had been thinking and thinking about the murders,’ said Rose in a low voice. ‘I thought she might have committed them. I always thought she was mad. I came with Miss Levine and challenged her. She pulled out a gun and said she was going to shoot me. She confessed to both murders. She said she shot Mr Pomfret because he was blackmailing her. He had a photograph of her eating roast beef.’

Kerridge’s bushy eyebrows nearly vanished into his hairline. ‘Do you mean she killed twice over a plate of roast beef?’

‘She said she had built up a world-wide reputation as a vegetarian. She said Mrs Jerry was going to the police. She said Mr Pomfret had a picture of her in a compromising position with a young footman. Although she did not have the evidence, Mrs Jerry thought she had.’

‘And what was Lord Alfred being blackmailed about?’

‘I believe it was because he had got a servant girl pregnant and she died in childbirth,’ said Harry smoothly. ‘We only have what Mrs Stockton told Lady Rose. There is no proof of that.’

‘The press are going to have a field day with this,’ said Kerridge.

‘I think it would be better,’ said Harry, ‘if we stick to the roast beef blackmail. We cannot mention the other two because there is no evidence.’

‘At least Mrs Stockton saved us a court case. Did you not guess she was going to poison herself?’

‘How could I?’ said Harry. ‘She said it was heart medicine.’

‘I don’t believe you. There’s a lot in your statements I don’t believe. But I’m very glad to have two murders solved.’

‘May we please leave further questioning until tomorrow?’ asked Harry. ‘Lady Rose has been through the most terrible ordeal.’

‘Very well. But Lady Rose, you did a mad and foolish thing. If you had any suspicions that the killer was Mrs Stockton, then you should have come to me. Never do anything like that again. Go back to your society life. Get married. Have children. That’s what a woman is supposed to do.’

‘You are just an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy, Mr Kerridge,’ said Rose. ‘Women should be independent and have the vote.’

‘Those trouble-making suffragettes should all be locked up. I want you all at Scotland Yard first thing in the morning.’

Rose, Harry, Becket and Daisy emerged from Angela’s house. The day had turned dark and they were nearly blinded by the magnesium flashes of the press on the doorstep going off in their faces.

‘This is bad,’ said Rose as they drove off. ‘My parents are never going to forgive me. Why did you not tell Kerridge the truth about why Lord Alfred was being blackmailed?’

Harry shrugged. ‘He did not murder anyone. It would extend the inquiry and I am heartily tired of the whole thing.’