“Mrs. Skeffington was a patient from the time she arrived at the Manor, Kimberley. You knew how to contact me. You should have done so.”

Dalgliesh said, “Did Mrs. Skeffington mention anything about hearing the lift in the night?”

“No. She only spoke about the lights.”

“And did either of you hear or see anything unusual while you were on that floor?”

They looked at each other, then shook their heads vigorously. Dean said, “We were only there a few minutes. Everything was quiet. A dimmed light was on in the corridor, as it always is.”

“And the lift? Did you notice the lift?”

“Yes, sir. The lift was on the ground floor. We used it to take up the tea. We could have gone up the stairs, but the lift is quicker.”

“And is there anything else you need to tell me about that night?”

And now there was a silence. Again the two looked at each other. Dean seemed to be gathering resolve. He said, “There’s one thing, sir. When we got back to the ground floor, I saw that the door to the garden wasn’t bolted. We have to pass the door to get back to our flat. It’s a heavy oak door on the right, sir, leading to the lime walk and the Cheverell Stones.”

Dalgliesh said, “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, sir, quite sure.”

“Did you draw your wife’s attention to the unbolted door?”

“No, sir. Not until we were together in the kitchen next morning, and then I mentioned it.”

“Did either or both of you go back to check?”

“No, sir.”

“And you noticed this on your return, not when you were helping your wife carry up the tea?”

“Just on our return.”

Sister Holland broke in. “I don’t know why you needed to help with the tea, Dean. The tray was hardly heavy. Couldn’t Kimberley have managed on her own? She usually does. It’s not as if there isn’t a lift. And there’s always a dim light on in the west wing.”

Dean said stoutly, “Yes, she could, but I don’t like her moving about the house on her own late at night.”

“What are you afraid of?”

Dean said miserably, “It’s not that. I just don’t like it.”

Dalgliesh said quietly, “Did you know that Mr. Chandler-Powell normally bolts that door promptly at eleven o’clock?”

“Yes, sir, I knew it. Everyone does. But sometimes it’s a little later if he takes a walk in the garden. I thought if I bolted it he might be out there and not able to get back in.”

Sister Holland said, “Walking in the garden after midnight, in December? Is that likely, Dean?”

He looked not at her but at Dalgliesh, and said defensively, “It wasn’t my job to bolt it, sir. And it was locked. No one could have got in without a key.”