“Well, I suppose that is the end of my motion picture career,” Mummy said as we ordered drinks and sandwiches beside the pool. “I can’t see anyone else wanting to take over that particular picture. It really was awful, wasn’t it? Absolute bosh. And I can’t say I’m sorry. Max would have been furious, I expect, and I really enjoy a life of privacy and leisure these days.” She picked up a chicken sandwich and took a delicate bite. “I suppose I was flattered that the world still saw me as a star. But now I look back on it I suspect that Stella only wanted me to take the part of Mary because she thought I would make her look younger and more beautiful.”

“She didn’t succeed,” I said. “You looked much better. And acted much better too.”

Mummy looked genuinely pleased. “Well, aren’t you the sweetest thing. What a nice daughter I have.”

I turned to Darcy. “And I’m afraid that’s the end of your movie career too,” I said. “Unless you want to try your luck auditioning at some of the other studios.”

Darcy looked at me fondly. “Can you really see me as a film star? I only agreed to take on the role because I thought it would give me a chance to observe Stella Brightwell. And then, of course, I realized that I might make enough money to enable us to marry. So now we’re back to square one, old thing.”

“Not quite,” I said and filled him in on all that had been happening while he’d been gone.

“Her sister.” His face lit up. “How very clever of you to work that out.”

“It made sense,” I said. “Mummy had told me about their sister act when they were children and then people saw Stella Brightwell in places that she couldn’t be. Just think how clever it was, Darcy. Bella slipped in to all the house parties where Stella was a guest, and if anyone saw her, they assumed she was her sister. But on every occasion Stella had a perfect alibi for all the actual robberies.”

“You don’t think they were in it together?” Darcy asked.

“I’m sure they weren’t. Stella was amazed to see her sister after all this time. They hadn’t communicated for years. It was a touching reunion, actually. Especially because Bella saved her sister’s life.”

“And where is this sister now? Do the police have her in custody?”

“I’m afraid not. I don’t know where she is,” I said. “There was a lot of confusion when we were being loaded into a truck and I think she took her chances to slip away then.”

“Pity,” Darcy said. “So it looks as if I might go home empty-handed. They won’t like that.”