“Not on your own account, but were you not alarmed for Mesurier?”
“No, because I didn't take the letter seriously.”
“You took it seriously enough to drive all the way to Ashleigh Green that day.”
“Only because I wanted to know just what Arnold had against Rudolph, and to stop him spreading any filthy story about him.”
“How did you propose to do that, Miss Vereker?”
She considered this. “I don't know. I mean, I don't think I'd worked it out.”
“In fact, you were so angry with him that you got straight into your car and drove to Ashleigh Green without having the least idea what you would do when you got there?”
“Oh no!” said Antonia sarcastically. “I took a knife and stuck it into Arnold, and then went and spent the night in his house just to make sure that you'd know I was the murderess; and finally told your silly policeman that there were blood-stains on my skirt.” She broke off, her ill humour suddenly vanishing. “Which isn't as idiotic as it sounds,” she said. “Now I come to think of it, that wouldn't have been at all a bad plan if I'd murdered Arnold. In fact, definitely brilliant, because no jury would ever believe I could have been fool enough to loiter around the scene of the crime and brandish bloodstained garments about. I must put that to Giles.” At this moment Kenneth strolled into the studio. Antonia immediately propounded her notions to him.
Superintendent Hannasyde had seen enough of the Verekers by this time to feel very little surprise at the enthusiasm with which Kenneth at once entered into a discussion.
“That's all very well,” Kenneth said, “but what about the dog-fight?”