Kate thought, So he took care to preserve the scene of crime as far as possible, even before he rang the local police. Thoughtful of him. Or is he demonstrating his willingness to co-operate? Either way, it was sensible to keep the landing and lift sacrosanct, but hardly crucial. People—patients and staff—must use them daily. If this is an inside job, we shan’t get much help from prints.

The group passed into the great hall. Dalgliesh said, “I should like to see everyone together—that is, all those who had any contact with Miss Gradwyn from the time she arrived and who were in the house yesterday from four-thirty, when she was taken back to her room, including Mr. Mogworthy. There will be individual interviews later in the Old Police Cottage. I shall try to interrupt people’s routine as little as possible, but some disruption is inevitable.”

Chandler-Powell said, “You’ll need a reasonably large room. When Mrs. Skeffington has been interviewed and has left, the library will be free, if that will be convenient. The library can also be made available to you and your officers for any individual interviews.”

Dalgliesh said, “Thank you. That will be convenient for both parties. But first I need to see Mrs. Skeffington.”

As they left the office, Chandler-Powell said, “I’m arranging for a team of private security men to ensure that we don’t get bothered by the media or a crowd of rubber-necking locals. You have no objection to that, I presume.”

“None, as long as they stay outside the gate and don’t interfere with my investigation. It will be for me to decide whether or not they do.”

Chandler-Powell made no reply. Outside the door, Benton joined them, and they made their way to the library and Mrs. Skeffington.

Chapter 8

8

Passing through the great hall, Kate was again jolted into a vivid impression of light, space and colour, the leaping flames of the wood fire, the chandelier which transformed the dimness of the winter afternoon, the muted but clear colours of the tapestry, gilt frames, richly painted robes, and, high above, the dark beams of the soaring roof. Like the rest of the Manor, it seemed a place to be visited in wonder, never actually lived in. She could never be happy in such a house, imposing the obligations of the past, a publicly borne burden of responsibility, and thought with satisfaction of that light-filled, sparsely furnished flat high above the Thames. The door to the library, concealed in the oak linen-fold, was on the right-hand wall, close to the fireplace. Kate doubted whether she would have noticed it if it hadn’t been opened by Chandler-Powell.