“Well, yes. I know it was just ten when I went upstairs, because the grandfather clock in the hall was striking. Mummy was just coming out of Aunt Harriet's room with a —” She saw her mother's eyes fixed on her, and broke off.
“With what, Miss Matthews?”
Stella gave a little laugh. “Well, I was going to say, with her dressing-gown on, but I suppose that's irrelevant.” She found that the Superintendent was steadily regarding her, and with a slightly heightened colour she added: “And I asked if Aunt Harriet was worse, and my mother said she didn't think it was anything much, but that she'd put her to bed, and—and given her some stuff to take. Then I went down to the kitchen, and afterwards out to the shops.”
“Thank you.” Hannasyde turned towards Mrs Matthews again. “It seems then that you left your sister-in-law at ten o'clock. Did you go out after that?”
“Out?” repeated Mrs Matthews. “No, I had many little duties to perform about the house.”
“And between ten and twelve you did not go into Miss Matthews' room?”
“No. I wrote letters, and then I had to do the flowers.”
“You did not think it advisable to look in on your sister-in-law, if only to see whether she wanted anything?”
Mrs Matthews replied with dignity: “No, Superintendent, I did not. When I left her my sister-in-law was drowsy. I thought it far better that she should have a good sleep.”
He accepted this without comment, and asked: “At twelve o'clock, when you did go into her room, did there not seem to you to be anything amiss?”