Inspector Alleyn 3-Book Collection 4: A Surfeit of Lampreys, Death and the Dancing Footman, Colour Scheme. Ngaio Marsh

the whole story as soon as we mentioned the interview? They’ve shied away like hell whenever we got near it. She’s a good plucked ’un is the little New Zealander. She can’t understand French and unless they managed to slip her a message she’s decided to lie like hell and take the consequences. If Martin isn’t careful she’ll manage to warn Master Henry and his father. Let’s see what the bilingual Martin has to say in his notes. Yes. Here we are. Have a look.’

      Fox eyed the notes. ‘I’d have to get it out in longhand,’ he said. ‘May I trouble you to translate, Mr Alleyn?’

      ‘You may, Foxkin. They seemed to have discussed the twins’ proposition and got no further. Here Lady Charles cut in and said: “It’s very necessary that we should come to some decision about Gabriel and the money.” That devilish girl seems to have chipped in with a remark to the effect that what we didn’t know wouldn’t hurt us.’

      ‘Lady Friede, sir?’

      ‘The same. Master Henry said that only their father knew what had happened at the interview. I catch the warning note here, Foxkin. He was instructing his brothers and sisters to forget they had overheard the interview. It’s evident that Lord Charles didn’t know they had listened.’

      ‘What did his lordship say?’

      ‘His lordship is cryptic. He doesn’t say much. Here’s a stray observation. “Par rapport à Tante Kit.” Oh! He says: considering what Aunt Kit has probably told us, we’re not likely to suppose they were out of the financial wood. Very true. Lady Charles asks what Gabriel said at the interview and Lord Charles replies that he thinks it will be better if his family can truthfully say it doesn’t know. I imagine an awkward silence among members of the carpet party. By this time, no doubt, the twins will have told their parents about the carpet party and that we have spotted it. That’s all they seemed to have said about the interview between the brothers. You’d better have another go at the servants, Br’er Fox.’

      ‘I don’t think the butler would give anything away, sir. He’s a quiet old chap and seems to like the family. If that parlour-maid overheard anything, she might be persuaded to speak up.’

      ‘Go and have a word with her. Use your charm. And in the meantime, Fox, I’ll deal with Master Henry.’

      So Fox went off to the kitchen and the constable fetched Henry. Alleyn came straight to the point with Henry, asking him whether his uncle had promised to lend his father a sum of money. Henry instantly said that he had.

      ‘So the financial crisis was over?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Why did none of you tell me of this before?’

      ‘Why should we?’ asked Henry coolly. ‘It didn’t arise.’

      ‘The question of the guilt or innocence of every single one of you arises,’ said Alleyn. ‘As you no doubt realize, Lady Katherine has told us of your financial difficulties. Lord Charles has told us that there is a baliff in the flat. People do not murder a man who is on the point of rescuing them from bankruptcy.’

      ‘Well,’ said Henry, ‘we didn’t murder Uncle G.’

      ‘Who, in your opinion, did murder him?’

      ‘I’ve no opinion about it.’

      ‘You don’t share your mother’s conviction of Lady Wutherwood’s homicidal insanity?’

      ‘Does my mother feel convinced about that?’

      ‘She told me so.’ Henry said nothing. ‘In plain words,’ said Alleyn, ‘do you think Lady Wutherwood is insane and killed her husband?’

      ‘I don’t see how one can possibly know,’ said Henry slowly. ‘I think she’s mad.’

      ‘That’s an honest speech,’ said Alleyn unexpectedly. Henry looked up quickly. ‘I think she’s mad, too,’ Alleyn said, ‘but like you I don’t know if she killed her husband. I wonder if we hesitate for the same reason. It seems strange to me that a woman who murdered her husband should demand his body.’

      ‘I know,’ said Henry quickly, ‘but if she’s mad –?’

      ‘There’s always that, of course. But to me it doesn’t quite fit. Nor to you, I think?’

      ‘To me,’ said Henry impatiently, ‘nothing fits. The whole thing’s a nightmare. I know none of us did it and that’s all I do know. I can’t think either of their servants are murderers. Giggle’s been with them since he was a kid. He’s a mild stupid man and plays with trains with Mike. Tinkerton is objectionable on the general grounds that she’s got a face like a dead flounder and smells of hair-combings. Perhaps she