Edna Ford looked up from the pale, dreary flower on which she was working. It might have been intended for a poppy if the colouring had not been a sickly mauve shading into grey. She said in her rather high, plaintive voice,

‘I went across the landing and into my room. I undressed and washed and did my hair, and took the tablet I was telling you about. No, let me see – I think I took the tablet before I brushed my hair, because I thought it would be a good thing to give it a little time, if you know what I mean. I thought if I got sleepy before I actually got into bed it would give me a better chance of getting off. It is so disagreeable to lie in the dark and wonder whether you are going to sleep.’

Miss Silver had been knitting rapidly. She looked across the fleecy wool and said,

‘Yes, indeed, there is nothing more trying. But you slept.’ Her tone was pleasant and sympathetic.

Edna Ford responded with a rehearsal of the number of nights during which she had been unable to sleep at all.

‘And of course I have felt good for nothing during the day – and with so much to be done. A big house does not run itself. The staff need constant supervision, and I had really begun to feel as if I could not go on. But the effect of the tablet was very satisfactory – I had several hours of most refreshing sleep. In fact I did not wake until Joan came into my room with the dreadful news this morning.’

Adriana had been showing signs of impatience. She turned her head and said sharply,

‘Janet and Ninian, you stayed behind in the drawing-room. Were you together all the time?’

Ninian nodded.

‘Until half past ten, when we went up. Janet went into her room, and I went along to mine. I slept all night.’

‘And you, Janet?’

‘Yes, I slept too.’

Adriana looked over her shoulder.

‘Gertie?’

Meeson bridled.

‘I don’t know what you want to ask me about, but I’m sure anyone is welcome. I had my supper, and I came up here and laid everything out for you, thinking you would be glad enough to go to your bed. Then I put on the wireless and had a good laugh over someone telling her grandmother how to suck eggs, which always gives the young ones a lot of pleasure and no harm done. And thank God for a sense of humour, for where would we all be without it! Then up you came, and when I’d got you settled I went off to my own bed, and glad enough to get there.’

‘And what was the last time you saw Meriel?’

Meeson tossed her head.

‘As if you’d any need to ask me that, when I came straight along after it to take your tray! Out on the landing she was, and flew at me like a fury! Said I’d been tale-tattling about her because I told you she’d spilt coffee down that new dress she wore Saturday for the party! And that’s something I’ll not take from anyone! Tale-tattling indeed! And what was the secret about it I’d like to know! Coffee all down the front of your dress isn’t what you can hide, no matter how hard you try! And what’s the good anyhow? I wasn’t taking it from her, and we had a regular set-to, with Mr Geoffrey and Mrs Geoffrey coming out of their rooms, and Mr Ninian and Simmons down in the hall! She ought to have had more control of herself, and so I told her! And the dress torn anyhow! Coffee stain or no, she’d torn it on the hedge down by the pool! And what was she doing there, I’d like to know! I asked her that, and she faced it out she’d never been near the place! But she had, for Miss Silver found the torn piece of her dress that was caught in the hedge, and so I told her! And what took her to the horrid place nor poor old Mabel either the Lord knows! But for the both of them it was once too often!’

She stopped, and there was a silence until Miss Silver said, ‘Mr Ford, did you hear all this?’

He said in a heavy voice,

‘They were quarrelling. That wasn’t anything new. I heard some of it.’

‘And you, Mrs Geoffrey?’

‘Oh, yes. Meriel had so little control. It didn’t mean a great deal, you know. She was excitable.’

‘But you heard all this about her having torn her dress down by the pool?’

‘There was something about her having spilt coffee on it. Such a pity – it was quite a new dress.’

‘But you heard Meeson say that the dress had been torn down by the pool, did you not?’

‘Oh, yes, I think so. They were quarrelling, you know, and talking very loud. I can’t remember everything they said.’

‘No, of course not.’ She turned to Ninian. ‘Mr Ninian, you were in the hall. Did you hear all this about Miss Meriel having torn her dress down by the pool on Saturday evening?’

She got a very straight look back.

‘Yes, I did.’

‘Will you tell us what you heard?’

‘Meeson said you had found a piece of Meriel’s dress caught in the hedge by the pool. Meriel was very angry indeed and said she had never been near the place, and Meeson went on saying she must have been, or how did the piece of her dress get there?’

‘Anyone on the landing could have heard what you heard?’

‘I should think so, unless they were deaf.’

Adriana lifted the hand with the amethyst ring.

‘Well, Geoffrey, you are the only one left to tell us just what you did after you left the drawing-room last night.’

His head jerked back. Their eyes met.

‘Really – I don’t see-’

The hand fell again.

‘No, I don’t think you do. My dear Geoffrey, this is the day of judgment. What the police haven’t asked you already, what they haven’t asked all of us, has only been put off until next time. And they will ask everything all over again at the inquest, so we might just as well get it all straight and have done with it. Where did you go when you left the drawing-room?’

He looked past her to the right-hand window. The old-fashioned pink rose which clambered about it was in bloom. It had a very sweet scent, but the window was shut and the air of the room held no hint of it. He said in a stubborn voice, ‘I can see no use in all this. If you must know, I went for a stroll.’

Edna held the eye of her embroidery needle to the light. She threaded it with a strand of lime-green silk and said,

‘He went to see Esmé Trent.’

Chapter Thirty-three

It was at this moment that the door was opened by Simmons. He came a little way into the room and said in a low voice,

‘It’s the police, madam – Superintendent Martin and Inspector Dean. They are asking for Mr Geoffrey.’

Adriana said, ‘Ask them to come up here!’

Geoffrey turned, protest in voice and manner.

‘No – no – I’ll go down.’

‘I think not. I would like to see them. Show them up, Simmons! And everyone will please stay here until they come!’

Geoffrey got up out of his chair and came to bend over her, speaking urgently. Edna took her slow stitches and never looked up. Miss Silver pulled on her fleecy ball. Heavy steps came down the corridor. Simmons opened the door and announced the names. The two men passed him, and he shut them in.

Adriana knew them both by sight – the Superintendent, a big fair man with a ruddy face, and the Inspector with a dash of ginger in his hair, and a quick way of talking. She said,

‘How do you do?’ And then, ‘We were having what I suppose you might call a family consultation – pooling our ideas about this tragedy. Won’t you both sit down?’

It had been the Superintendent’s intention to interview Mr Geoffrey Ford alone, but perceiving that this was Mr Ford’s own strong desire, it occurred to him that not only his reactions but those of the family circle might be worthy of some attention. He cast a quick glance at them, concluded that they were a mixed lot, and decided that it would do no harm to stir the mixture up a bit. He accordingly took the chair which Adriana had indicated and pointed the Inspector to another.