‘I’m sorry—’ Martyn began and he said: ‘Never mind. It’s not an uncommon attitude, I’m afraid. So you had a rather unhappy arrival. Lucky there was your cousin to come to your rescue.’

‘But—no—I mean—’ Martyn felt herself blushing and plunged on. ‘That’s just what I didn’t want to do. I mean I didn’t want to go to him at all. He didn’t know of my existence. You see—’

It was part of Alleyn’s professional equipment that something in his make-up invited confidence. Mr Fox once said of his superior that he would be able to get himself worked up over the life story of a mollusc provided the narrative was obtained first-hand. He heard Martyn’s story with the liveliest interest up to the point where she entered the theatre. He didn’t seem to think it queer that she should have been anxious to conceal her relationship to Poole or that she was stupid to avoid the Vulcan in her search for a job. She was describing her interview with Bob Grantley on Wednesday night when Sergeant Gibson’s voice sounded in the passage. He tapped on the door and came in.

‘Excuse me, sir,’ he said, ‘but could you see the night-watchman. He seems to think it’s important.’

He had got as far as this when he was elbowed aside by Fred Badger who came angrily into the room.

‘ ‘Ere!’ he said. ‘Are you the guvnor of this ‘owd’yerdo?’

‘Yes,’ said Alleyn.

‘Well, look. You can lay orf this young lady, see? No call to get nosy on account of what she done, see? I don’t know nothink abaht the law, see, but I’m in charge ‘ere of a night and what she done she done wiv my permission. Nah!’

‘Just a moment—’ Alleyn began and was roared down.

‘Suppose it was an offence! What abaht it! She never done no ‘arm. No offence taken where none was intended, that’s correct ain’t it! Nah yen!’

‘What,’ Alleyn said turning to Martyn, ‘is this about?’

‘I’m afraid it’s about me sleeping in the theatre that first night. I’d nowhere to go and it was very late. Mr Badger very kindly—didn’t turn me out.’

‘I see. Where did you sleep?’

‘Here. In this chair.’

‘Like a charld,’ Fred Badger interposed. ‘Slep’ like a charld all night. I looked in on me rahnds and seen ‘er laying safe in the arms of Morpus. Innercent. And if anyone tells you different you can refer ‘im to me. Badger’s the name.’

‘All right, Badger.’

‘If you put me pot on with the management for what I done, leaving ‘er to lay—all right. Aht! Finish! There’s better jobs rahnd the corner.’

‘Yes. All right. I don’t think we’ll take it up.’