“Hear, hear,” said Gascoigne.

“Oh, dear, dear, how I do get myself in wrong, don’t I?” cooed Ackroyd. He turned to Gascoigne. “You keep on yammering about this bloody champagne stunt, Ted. You say it was fool-proof, accident-proof, all the rest of it. Well—if it was, somebody’s murdered Alfred Meyer. Now!”

Valerie Gaynes screamed and rushed across the room to the empty chair by Liversidge.

“Frankie!” she sobbed. “Frankie! Not that! It’s not true what they’re saying—not true.”

“There, kiddy, there, there!” crooned Mr. Liversidge, stroking her arm and looking unpleasantly protective.

The door opened and George Mason returned. His round face was still very white.

“I’m sorry, everyone,” he said simply, and returned to his seat.

“Better, Mr. Mason?” asked Susan.

“Yes, thanks, Susie. Ashamed of myself. Where’s Carolyn and Hailey?”

“Still out there.”

“While we’re all together,” said Mason quietly, “I’d just like to say that whatever happens I think I’d better call the company for midday tomorrow. I’ll try and work out what’s best to be done. Everyone on stage at twelve, please, Mr. Gascoigne.”

“Certainly, Mr. Mason,” said Ted Gascoigne. “Twelve o’clock tomorrow morning, please, ladies and gentlemen.”

Packer came in.

“The chief would like to see the stage staff.”

The little group at the far end of the room came forward and filed out through the door.

“Just a moment,” said Mason suddenly. “Where are Miss Dacres and Mr. Hambledon?”

“I think they’ve gone, sir.”

“Gone?”

“They’ve arrested them!” screamed Valerie Gaynes. “My God, they’ve arrested them!”

“C-st!” said Mason savagely. “Can no one keep that girl quiet!”

“They’ve just gone home, miss,” said Packer.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Money

“THE SOONER YOU get down-stage and find yourself the better, young lady,” said Mason, when the staff had gone. “What’s the idea of all this tragedy stuff?”

“Oh, I can’t help it,” wailed Valerie. “I can’t help it. I can’t help it.”

“Nonsense,” said old Susan very loudly. “Carolyn and Hailey arrested! The very idea!”

“I’m sorry. It was just him saying they’d gone. And it flashed through my mind—my poor tormented mind—how fond he is of her. I mean, we all know, and it was just—”

“Never mind, now,” interrupted Liversidge. “Think of something else.”

“That’s a suggestion,” said Alleyn cheerfully. “Think of all the money you lost, Miss Gaynes. It’s never turned up, I suppose?”

This had a salutary effect. Valerie stopped sobbing and caught her breath.

“No—I—no, it hasn’t. But Mr. Meyer was—was awfully sweet. He—he advanced it to me—the same amount. And to think—”

“Really! Very kind of him.”

“Yes. He said he felt responsible, as I was under his wing. He said the Firm wouldn’t let its people be out of pocket. And to think he’s d—”