‘Anyone who enjoys a glass of wine as much as I do is aware of Denley. I get my supplies from his company on a regular basis.’

‘Have you ever met him?’

‘I’m not sure,’ said Ferriday. ‘I think it unlikely somehow. Mr Denley is in trade and – despite my position in the Cabinet – I never invite people like him into my social circle. What on earth would he and I talk about?’

‘So you know nothing of his family?’

‘Why should I? A wine merchant exists to sell wine. That’s enough for me. I don’t require an insight into his private life.’

‘Let’s turn to Sir Roger,’ said Paul, watching him carefully. ‘I understand that you and he had some battles in the House of Commons.’

‘I’m a Tory and he was a Whig. Disagreements between us were inevitable.’

‘I accept that. However, I’ve been told that there was rather more than a disagreement between the two of you, sir. It’s my understanding that you and he clashed over the imposition of the Corn Laws. Sir Roger launched a personal attack on you.’

‘He did that to anyone who didn’t agree with him, including members of his own party. I was one of many who felt the lash of his tongue.’

‘Why were you picked out?’

‘It was for no particular reason,’ said Ferriday, airily. ‘I was a member of Lord Liverpool’s government. That made me fair game.’

‘Oh, I fancy that it went deeper than that. He pilloried you time and again. Because you own extensive farmland, you represented everything he despised about the Corn Laws. You stood to gain from legislation that caused misery in the general population. Sir Roger hounded you.’

Ferriday’s face darkened. ‘You’ve been talking to Sir Marcus, haven’t you?’

‘He was more approachable than you.’

‘Sir Marcus is a good friend of mine but he does have a love of hyperbole. If you take his words too literally, you’ll be led completely astray. Besides, what possible connection can there be between my support of the Corn Laws and Sir Roger’s murder? Unless, of course,’ he added with a cautionary glint, ‘you’re alleging that a few harsh words from him provided me with a motive to have him killed.’

‘I didn’t say or imply that.’

‘Then what is your position regarding me?’

‘It’s not my position that brought me here,’ replied Paul, ‘but that of Sir Roger himself. The three politicians he regarded as his arch enemies were the Home Secretary, Sir Marcus Brough and you. It’s only natural that I would take an interest in all three people.’

‘I could name you dozens of other politicians who loathed Sir Roger.’

‘I’m only interested in the trio he specified.’