"That was opportune, I should think." His voice grew a shade quicker. "May I ask how you happened to be there?"
"Accident. I'd just driven from town. I heard Bohun cry out — or call out — something of the sort. There was a dog howling…"
"I know, said Willard, and passed a hand heavily over his eyes. The rumbling voice grew quicker again, soft, and suggestive. "I should think you were cooler than John. Did you notice anything? Anything that might help us?"
"Not much. She was — ‘
He sketched out a picture, briefly. Willard leaned his arm along the mantelpiece, staring at the fire while the other spoke. Noting the fine if now rather flabby profile, Bennett thought: Matinee idol of pre-war grandeur. Had the sense to move with the times. Something stately, something savored of Shakespeare, in that bearing. Sensible, logical, humorous Friend of the Family; if Bohun had a niece (come to think of it, he had mentioned a niece), she would probably call Willard uncle.
"In all probability," he heard himself going on, absently, "she had been taking a glass of port with somebody. There was a short fight"
"It is unwise," said Willard, smiling and looking sideways, "to trust to inferences so far as that. As a matter of fact, I drank her health myself." He straightened up. He began to walk up and down, quickly. "Joking aside. This is rather worse. You are sure about those burnt matches?"
He paused as a door closed hollowly across the room. John Bohun came up to the fire and spread out his hands. The heavy riding-crop still dangled on a thong from his wrist. He flung it off; then he loosened the wool muffler that was knotted round his throat, and opened his tweed jacket. "Thompson," he said to the fire, "will be in in a moment with coffee. James my lad, your bags have been taken upstairs and your car's in the garage. You can get a hot bath and change the white tie." Then he turned round. "By the way, what's this about burnt matches?"
"I was hoping," said Willard quietly, "we could still blame it on a burglar."
"Well?" demanded Bohun. He seemed to hesitate.