"Then that is all I wish to know about that, Lady Billington-Smith. At what time did you eventually cone downstairs yesterday morning?"
"I didn't come down till my husband called to me, but I was out of my room before that, speaking to the head housemaid upstairs."
"So that you don't know what happened between Sir Arthur and his son?"
"No."
"When he called to you, what time was that?"
"It must have been just before twelve. He had just come in with — with Mrs. Halliday, and he wanted me to see that she had some roses to take away with her when she left."
"Mrs. Halliday was with him at the time?"
"Yes, but she went upstairs to her room to take her hat off. Then my husband went into his study. He said he did not want to be disturbed. It was the first of the month, you see, and he always made up his accounts, and paid the staff on that day. I remember now, it was ten minutes to twelve, because he — he called my attention to the time, saying he had wasted so much of the morning already. Then I went -"
"One moment," interposed Harding. "Was Sir Arthur still angry with you at this time?"
"He was — a little testy. Nothing, really."