Kate asked, “Has she ever expressed remorse for what she did?”

“No, and that has been a problem. She only repeats that she wasn’t sorry at the time and what was the point of being sorry afterwards just because you’ve been found out.”

Dalgliesh said, “There’s a certain honesty in that. Shall we see her now? Kate, would you find her please and bring her here.”

They were kept waiting for Kate to return with Sharon and when, after fifteen minutes, they arrived, the reason for the delay was apparent. Sharon had taken trouble over her appearance. A skirt and jumper had been substituted for her working overall, her hair had been brushed to shininess and she was wearing lipstick. There was an immense gilt earring in each ear. She came in belligerently but with a certain wariness and took a seat opposite Dalgliesh. Mrs. Rayner took a chair beside her, an indication, Kate thought, of where her professional concern and loyalty lay. She herself sat beside Dalgliesh and Benton, notebook open, close to the door.

On entering the room Sharon had shown no surprise at seeing Mrs. Rayner. Now, fixing her eyes on her, she said without apparent resentment, “I thought you’d be along sooner or later.”

“It would have been sooner, Sharon, if you’d told me about your change of job and Miss Gradwyn’s death—as, of course, you should have.”

“Well, I was going to, but fat chance with the cops all over the house and everyone watching me. If they saw me phone they’d ask why. Anyway, she was only killed on Friday night.”

“Well, I’m here now and there are a number of things we need to talk about in private, but first of all Commander Dalgliesh has some questions and I want you to promise to answer them truthfully and fully. This is important, Sharon.”

Dalgliesh said, “You have the right, Miss Bateman, to ask for a solicitor to be present if you think it necessary.”

She stared at him. “Why would I want a solicitor? I haven’t done anything wrong. Anyway, Mrs. Rayner’s here. She’ll see there’s no funny business. And I told you everything I know when we were in the library on Saturday.”

Dalgliesh said, “Not all. You didn’t say then that you left the Manor on Friday night. We now know that you did. You went out to meet someone at about midnight, and we know who it was. We’ve spoken to Mr. Collinsby.”

And now there was a change. Sharon started from her chair, then sat back and clasped the edge of the table. Her face flushed and the deceptively mild eyes widened and seemed to Kate to darken into pools of anger.