‘I have started,’ said Rose. ‘I shall befriend Mrs Stockton. I shall get close to her. In order to find out why she was being blackmailed, I have to understand her better.’

‘Very well. For my part,’ said Harry, ‘I must visit Freddy’s parents and see if they are prepared to employ me.’

‘Who are his parents?’ asked Daisy.

‘A certain Colonel and Mrs Pomfret. I believe they are in town. They have a town house in Kensington.’

‘What about Detective Superintendent Kerridge?’

‘I phoned him with my lack of success with Mrs Jerry and Lord Alfred and he said in that weary way of his that he should never have left it to amateurs and that he would see them himself.’

Kerridge had had every intention of interviewing the suspects. It was his job. But he admitted to himself that he’d been cowardly in letting Captain Cathcart go first.

Accompanied by Detective Inspector Judd, he set out to interview Lord Alfred Curtis. At least he knew that the young lord was expecting him. His secretary had made an appointment.

The gas lamps had already been lit and a thin drizzle was falling as he was driven in the new police car to Lord Alfred’s residence.

He climbed down from the car with great reluctance. He detested interviewing the aristocracy.

To his surprise and relief, he was warmly welcomed. Lord Alfred rose to his feet and advanced on him with hand outstretched when Kerridge was ushered into a pretty drawing-room.

‘Do sit down, Mr Kerridge,’ said Lord Alfred. ‘Miserable evening, what? May I offer you something?’

‘Nothing, I thank you,’ said Kerridge. ‘Do you know why I am here?’

‘It’s something to do with poor Freddy’s death, is it not? I had that peculiar Captain Cathcart here earlier accusing me of being blackmailed by Freddy. Ridiculous! When a gentleman sinks to trade, it alters his very brain. Sees common little plots and conspiracies everywhere.’

‘We have ascertained that three people each paid Mr Pomfret the sum of ten thousand pounds. We did think it might be a case of blackmail.’

‘Well, now I’ve calmed down, I can see why you might jump to that conclusion. But the man was on his uppers. Some people will gamble ferociously when they haven’t got the ready. Poor, poor Freddy. I never even thought to ask for an IOU, so it’s not as if I can even claim on his estate. Who are the other two?’

‘At this stage of the investigation, I would prefer not to say, my lord. Now, do you know of any enemies Mr Pomfret might have had?’

‘The trouble is, one didn’t know him very well. There are a great number of people in the world one doesn’t know very well.’

‘And yet you lent him a vast sum of money.’