Harding picked up a typewritten-sheet, headed Statement of Charles Thomson, footman. "I will put it to you quite frankly. Lady Billington-Smith: did Sir Arthur, when Mrs. Halliday had gone upstairs, speak to you very roughly, finding fault with the way you behaved towards your guests, and accusing you of lying in bed "till all hours"?"
"I believe he did say something like that," Fay replied in a suffocating voice.
"And did you answer that you couldn't bear it, that he was driving you out of your mind?"
Her eyes were fixed on his face with an expression of wondering dread in them. "I don't remember. If I did, I didn't mean it. Perhaps I said it. I was — momentarily annoyed with my husband for speaking to me rather rudely. One — one does say silly, theatrical things sometimes, when one is at all on edge."
"Yes, very often," Harding agreed, laying the footman's statement down again. "Your husband entered his study, then, at ten minutes to twelve. What did you do?"
"I went into the garden, and through the garden-hall, to find Lester, the head gardener."
"Had you any idea where he was to be found?"
"No, I asked the under-gardener. He was just taking vegetables to the kitchen."
"And he was able to tell you?"
"Yes, he said that Lester was in the kitchen-garden."