“I was not making accusations!” Jack almost shouted as the siblings’ voices rose again. “The police won’t respect your privacy, Anna. They’ll look at your marriage and ask all sorts of offensive prying questions, examine your behaviour and probe for guilt. Think about that.”

Lady Anna’s facial muscles were drawn tight with revulsion. Pat almost felt sorry for her. It was one thing to misbehave in fast society among peers who would understand, quite another to be held up to conventional morality and found wanting.

Jack went on, urgently. “But the fact is, if you and I were together between half past eleven and luncheon, as we were, you cannot be suspected. Maurice was last seen at half past eleven. I left his side just at that time and came upstairs to you. From luncheon onwards everyone was in company. The fact that I can swear to your whereabouts for the entire period before lunch makes your private business irrelevant to the investigation, do you see? And if the police understand that from the start, they will be far less likely to waste their time on impertinent enquiries. We have to be frank, darling.”

“And will everyone else be subjected to the same intrusion into their affairs?” Lady Anna demanded, voice cracking.

“I should think so,” Fen said. “It will be ghastly for all of us. What time exactly did Mr. Bouvier-Lynes join you?”

“I see no reason to respond to these enquiries from anyone except the police,” Lady Anna said. “And I shall not stay to be insulted.”

She stalked out. Jack followed her. Jimmy moved forward with the obvious intention of stopping him, but Bill took his arm, and after a second, he stepped back.

“Well, that was a delightful interlude,” Bill remarked. “Are you ladies determined to render this visit even more hideous than it already was?”

“I’m afraid so, Mr. Merton,” Fen said. “Do you mind if I lock the door?” She moved towards it without waiting for agreement. “I think we need a private conversation.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The four of them looked at once another once Fen had locked the door. Nobody wanted to begin.

Bill folded his arms. “I suppose we all know what this is about.”

“That depends,” Pat said. “Haworth was killed between half past eleven and one o’clock. Fen and I were together. So, according to themselves, were Lady Anna and Jack, and Preston and Victoria. That leaves the Earl and Countess, and you two, and you lied—really very obviously—about your whereabouts this morning. No, don’t say anything,” she went on as Bill opened his mouth. “I don’t want you to lie to me again. And by the way, the day after we arrived, I overheard Haworth committing blackmail.”

“What?” Bill barked.