‘You know, I suppose,’ he went on, ‘that your neighbour, Mr. Felix of St. Malo, has been arrested on a very serious charge?’
‘’Deed then, I do, sir. And sorry I was to hear of it. A fine, decent man he was, too.’
‘Well, Mrs. Murphy, my name is Clifford, and I am the lawyer who is going to defend Mr. Felix. I wondered if you would be good enough to answer some questions, to help me in his defence?’
‘I would, sir, be glad to do it.’
‘You managed the house for him recently, while his housekeeper was away?’
‘I did, sir.’
‘And when did Mr. Felix ask you to do that?’
‘On Sunday evening, sir. I was just thinking of going to bed when he came to the door.’
‘Now tell me, please, exactly what you did each day at St. Malo.’
‘I went in the mornings, sir, and lit the fire and got his breakfast. Then I did out his room and washed up and left his lunch ready. He got his own lunch himself in the middle of the day, and went into London for dinner at night.’