"Do you mean Mr. Roydon had just come upstairs to change?"
"Oh no, Inspector! Mr. Roydon had been in his room some little time, Magpie having seen him come up with Miss Paula, and the pair of them standing talking together just inside Miss Paula's room."
"I'll see this Magpie presently. How long did you stay in the sewing-room?"
"Well, I couldn't exactly say, Inspector, but I daresay it would have been twenty minutes or so."
"And during that time you didn't see anyone in the upper hall?"
"Well, I wasn't looking. I heard everyone go down that is, naturally I didn't count them, not knowing it might be important; but I remember hearing Mrs. Joseph Herriard come out of her room, and Miss Paula, because Miss Paula called to Mr. Roydon, and they went down together. Then I heard Miss Clare and Mr.. Joseph joking together, a few minutes later. Now I come to think of it, I don't remember hearing Mr. Mottisfont go down, nor Miss Dean; but I did hear Mr. Stephen, for he let his door bang. It was shortly after this that I began to think it was funny Mr. Herriard hadn't come out of his room."
"Oh, you knew he hadn't?"
"Well, I wouldn't say that exactly, but I'd had an ear cocked, as you might say, in case his bell should ring, which I could have heard in the sewing-room, the door being open, and the room just at the top of the backstairs. So I went along to try the door, and when I found it was still locked I took the liberty of calling to Mr. Herriard. Then, of course, he didn't answer, nor I couldn't hear a sound inside the room, and I began to get a bit scared. Several times I called, and never any answer. And then Mr. Joseph came up, and he called to Mr. Stephen, and Mr. Stephen and I, we broke the lock open, and found Mr. Herriard lying there." He ended with a shudder, and pressed his handkerchief to his lips. "Horrible, it was! I hope I may never have to see such a sight again!"
"The chances are you won't," the Inspector said unemotionally. "What did Mr. Joseph and Mr. Stephen do?"
"They thought at first he'd fainted, like I did myself. Mr. Stephen sent me off to fetch some brandy. By the time I'd come back, they'd discovered Mr. Herriard was dead. "That won't be wanted," Mr. Stephen said, meaning the brandy. "He's dead." I give you my word I nearly dropped the tray, it was such a shock to me!"