"No, far from it. I heard Mr. Herriard tell him not to come upstairs with him, because he didn't want him. Then he fell over the step-ladder." A tiny chuckle escaped her. She said remorsefully: "I'm sorry: I ought not to laugh, but it really was funny."
"Where was this step-ladder?" asked Hemingway.
"On the first half-landing. Joseph had left it there, and - well, it was just the last straw, as far as Nathaniel was concerned, because he didn't like having paper streamers hung up all over the house, and the wretched steps tripped him up. I don't quite know how Joseph said he knocked them over on purpose, and I must admit it would have been quite like Nathaniel to have done so."
"Did you actually see this happen, miss?"
"No; I heard the crash of the steps, and I came out into the hall to see what was going on."
"Well, miss? What was going on?"
She regarded him with a crease between her brows. "I don't quite understand, Mr. Joseph Herriard was helping his brother up from his knees, and trying to apologise for having left the steps in such a stupid place."
"And Mr. Herriard?"
"Well, he was very angry."
"Did he say anything?"