"No, sir, I went straight back to my pantry to mix the cocktails."
"Was anyone else in the pantry?"
The butler considered for a moment. "I rather fancy that Charles — the footman, sir — was, as one might put it, between the pantry and the dining-room, laying the table for lunch. But I could not be sure on that point. When the front door bell rang again — it would be only a few minutes later, for I was in the act of cutting the orange for the cocktails — I went back to the hall."
"Again you heard no sound from the study?"
"No, sir, it was quite quiet."
"Who had rung the front door bell?"
"Mrs. Chudleigh, sir — the Vicar's wife. I showed her on to the terrace, and then went back to my pantry."
"Did you go into the hall again after that?"
"Not until I took the cocktail tray out, sir. That would be just after half past twelve, on account of my being interrupted while mixing the cocktails, and so being a few minutes later than I should otherwise have been."
"And you did not pass through the hall again until one o'clock, when you met Mr. Guest and Mr. Halliday on their way to the study?"