“I don't call that funny,” said Mesurier stiffly.
“Depends on the point of view. It would be much funnier than having you as a brother-in-law.”
Antonia bounced up out of her chair. “Damn, you, shut up!” she said fiercely. “If if comes to that I'd a lot sooner foist the murder on to Violet than have her as a sister-in-law! I don't see that Rudolph's any worse than she is.”
“Thank you, dear,” said a smooth voice from the doorway. “How sweet of you! And what am I supposed to have done?”
Kenneth sat up and swung his legs off the sofa. “Darling!” he said. “Come right in and join the party. A good time is being had by all.”
Violet Williams still held the door-knob in one gloved hand. She was charmingly dressed in a flowered frock and a becoming picture hat, and carried a sunshade. She raised her plucked eyebrows and said: “Are you sure I shan't be de trop?”
“You couldn't be. Tony was only retaliating in kind. You know Giles, don't you? Come and sit down, ducky, and listen to the new revelations.”
Mesurier made a movement as of protest, but Antonia very sensibly pointed out to him that Kenneth was bound to tell Violet all about it anyway, so he might as well get it over. As Kenneth's attention seemed for the moment to be engaged by Violet, who had gone over to the sofa, and was speaking to him in a low voice, Mesurier seized the opportunity to ask Giles why his car should be supposed to constitute an alibi.
“Well,” Giles answered, “if you murdered Arnold and drove back to Town in your own car, who disposed of Arnold's car?”
This unfortunately caught Kenneth's ear, and he instantly said: “Accomplice.”