Thrimby was not to be so easily baulked. He said: "As soon as I realised that Mrs. Haddington had been foully done to death, I commanded Miss Birtley to go into the library, and I sent immediately to request Mrs. Foston, the housekeeper, to remain there with her until your arrival."
"And what," repeated Hemingway, "were your own movements?"
"After the departure of Mr.. Poulton, which would have been at about a quarter-to-seven, as near as I can remember, I was in my pantry till I came up to lay the table."
"Yes, well, now suppose you were to tell me just who has been here this evening?" suggested Hemingway.
"I ought, perhaps, to tell you first, Chief Inspector, that I overheard a very unpleasant scene this morning between Mrs. Haddington and Miss Birtley. I'm sure I would prefer not to mention the matter, but I feel it to be my duty to inform you that Miss Birtley addressed Mrs. Haddington in what I should call threatening terms. She said that she wouldn't be interfered with, and there were no lengths she wouldn't go to, if she was goaded to it. Then she said, and, I must say, I was shocked, that if she couldn't have Mr.. Harte - Timothy, she called him - she didn't care what became of her. At which point, I thought it proper to intervene, which, Chief Inspector, I did. Quite murderous, Miss Birtley looked: I thought so at the time!"
Hemingway listened dispassionately to this story. He was interested, but he disappointed the butler by betraying no signs of excitement whatsoever. He felt none. It was possible, in his view, that Miss Birtley had strangled her employer, but he had interrogated too many witnesses not to recognise spite when he was confronted with it. By dint of some skilful questioning, he elicited from Thrimby a fairly coherent account of the day's happenings. "So, setting aside the doctor's visit, no one came to the house between the time he left, and the time Mr.. Butter-wick arrived? Very well! You say that Lord Guisborough called before Mr.. Butter-wick had left the house. Did you see Mr.. Butterwick out?"
"No, for I was engaged in showing his lordship up to the drawing-room. By the time I came downstairs again, Mr.. Butter-wick had departed. I did not actually see Lord Guisborough out either, though I heard him go. His lordship, not waiting for me to show him out, slammed the door with considerable violence. Mrs. Haddington seemed quite put out: in fact she spoke to me as I am not at all accustomed to be spoken to, actually coming to the head of the stairs to know what had kept me, which nothing had, Chief Inspector, but it is not my custom to go dashing upstairs! She then instructed me to say in future, if his lordship called or rang up, that she was not at home. It is my belief that Mrs. Haddington did not, as one might say, fancy his lordship. Of course, it is not for me to venture an opinion, Chief Inspector, but one can't help putting two and two together. What with his lordship running after Miss Cynthia, till it is quite noticeable, and Mrs. Haddington asking him to come to see her this afternoon, and then his lordship rushing out of the house, and Mrs. Haddington saying what she did, one can't doubt that she had told him it was no use him thinking of Miss Cynthia, for she wouldn't consent. Miss Cynthia, I should mention, is under age. Strictly between ourselves, Chief Inspector, it's common knowledge, in the Hall, that it's Mr.. Harte Mrs. Haddington wanted for Miss Cynthia. Well, when he first visited here, I must say I thought there was something in it. But then he seemed to get sweet on Miss Birtley all at once - and there has been a certain amount of unpleasantness, Miss Birtley being a young woman with a temper, and I regret to say, not always as civil as she might be. Really, I was quite shocked at her this morning; and naturally I couldn't but recall the words she had with Mr.. Seaton-Carew, the night he was murdered. Almost the same they were, though I don't precisely remember them now. Threatening, is what I should call them."
"Never mind about Miss Birtley for the moment! After Lord Guisborough left the house, what happened?"
The butler reflected. "I went down to fetch the cocktail-tray up to the drawing-room. I fancy Mrs. Haddington must have gone up to Miss Cynthia's room, for she asked me, when she came down, if I knew where Miss Cynthia was. Mapperley - that's Mrs. Haddington's personal maid - thinks she went off to a party, but not having seen her go, I couldn't say. She hasn't yet returned."
Just as well!" muttered Hemingway. "Then what happened?"