“The trouble is I don't know where I was,” replied Roger, with the air of one making a fresh disclosure. “You see, I didn't give the address to the taxi-driver, which accounts for it.”
“You were with someone, then?”
“That's it,” said Roger. “I was with a friend.”
“And your friend's name?”
“Flossie,” said Roger. “At least it may have been Florence, but that's what I called her.”
At this point Giles turned away rather hastily, and walked over to the window. The Superintendent was in no mood to share his obvious amusement, and merely rapped out: “Flossie who?”
“Well, there you rather have me,” said Roger. “I didn't ask her. I mean, why should I?”
“I see,” said the Superintendent. “You spent the night at an address you don't know, with a woman whose name you don't know. Is that what you expect me to believe?”
“It doesn't matter to me what you believe,” said Roger. “You can do as you like about it. The point is you can't prove I didn't. And don't go rounding up all the Flossies in London for me to identify, because, though I'm not a shy man, I'll be damned if I'll do that.”
Antonia, joining her cousin by the window, said wistfully: “I do wish Kenneth were here.”