‘Did you guess?’ said Robin, rallying.

‘Only after you gave the hint. Macbeth and all his men wore black lambskin tunics, didn’t they?’

‘Yes.’

‘And Seyton wore a heavy belt to support the claidheamh-mor?’

‘That’s right.’

‘And when he took it off it showed the wear – the lambskin all flattened and worn?’

‘Yes. Only when his cloak-thing shifted for a second.’

‘I should have noticed and I didn’t. You’ve been a great help, Robin.’

‘Will I have to give evidence?’ Robin asked hopefully.

‘Not if he confesses.’

‘Oh.’

‘I just wanted to thank you.’

‘You didn’t notice at the time, sir. I expect you would have,’ said Robin kindly. ‘When you got round to it.’

‘I hope so,’ Alleyn said meekly.

‘Hi!’ Robin shouted. ‘William!’ And tore off round the house.

Peregrine reappeared. He carried a long package carefully wrapped in brown paper. ‘Do you know what’s in here?’ he asked.

Alleyn took it, passed his hands over it and weighed it. ‘Dummy swords?’ he asked.

‘Right. The wooden swords used for rehearsing the fight while Gaston made the steel ones. Being Gaston, they are needlessly ornate and highly finished. Now look at this.’

He gave Alleyn an open envelope addressed to ‘Master William Smith’. ‘Read it,’ he said.

Alleyn took it out.

Master William Smith.

I regret that I, having been much engaged of late, forgot the promise I made you at the beginning of the season. I have, as some compensation, included both weapons. You will be anxious to learn their correct usage. Treat them with the utmost care and respect. Regrettably, I shall not be at liberty to teach you but Mr Simon Morten will no doubt be glad to do so. You will be a good actor.

I remain,

Your obedient servant,

Gaston Sears

‘Shall I give them to the boy? And the letter?’

After a long pause, Alleyn said: ‘I don’t know William. If he is a sensible boy and respects the tools of his trade – yes. I think you should.’

By the Same Author

A Man Lay Dead

Enter a Murderer

The Nursing Home Murder

Death in Ecstasy

Vintage Murder

Artists in Crime

Death in a White Tie

Overture to Death

Death at the Bar

Surfeit of Lampreys

Death and the Dancing Footman

Colour Scheme

Died in the Wool

Final Curtain

Swing, Brother, Swing

Opening Night

Spinsters in Jeopardy

Scales of Justice

Off With His Head

Singing in the Shrouds

False Scent

Hand in Glove

Dead Water

Death at the Dolphin

Clutch of Constables

When in Rome

Tied up in Tinsel

Black As He’s Painted

Last Ditch

Grave Mistake

Photo-Finish

Light Thickens

Black Beech and Honeydew (autobiography)

About the Publisher