‘I don’t think any of us have any doubt about my husband’s unhappiness, Mr Alleyn. Before you came in I was saying how most most anxious I am that we should be very frank with each other and of course with you. My husband drank so heavily that he had ruined his health and his work quite completely. I wasn’t able to help him and we were not—’ The colour died out of her face and she hesitated. ‘Our life together wasn’t true,’ she said, ‘it had no reality at all. Tonight he behaved very badly on the stage. He coloured his part at the expense of the other actors and I think he was horrified at what he’d done. He was very drunk indeed tonight. I feel he suddenly looked at himself and couldn’t face what he saw. I feel that very strongly.’

‘One does sense these things,’ Gay interjected eagerly, ‘or I do at any rate.’

‘I’m sure you do,’ Alleyn agreed politely. Gay drew breath and was about to go on when he said: ‘Of course, if any of you can tell us any happenings or remarks or so on, that seem to prove that he had this thing in mind, it will be a very great help.’

Martyn heard her voice, acting, it seemed, of its own volition: ‘I think, perhaps—’

Alleyn turned to her and his smile reassured her. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Forgive me, but I don’t yet know all your names.’ He looked again at his programme and then at her. Gay gave a small laugh. Darcey put his hand over hers and said something undistinguishable.

Poole said quickly: ‘Miss Martyn Tarne. She is, or should be, our heroine tonight. Miss Gainsford was ill and Miss Tarne, who was the understudy, took her part at half an hour’s notice. We’d all be extremely proud of her if we had the wits to be anything but worried and exhausted.’

Martyn’s heart seemed to perform some eccentric gyration in the direction of her throat and she thought: ‘That’s done it. Now my voice is going to be ungainly with emotion.’

Alleyn said: ‘That must have been a most terrifying and exciting adventure,’ and she gulped and nodded. ‘What had you remembered,’ he went on after a moment, ‘that might help us?’

‘It was something he said when he came off in the last act.’

‘For his final exit in the play?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ll be very glad to hear it.’