“Drawn blank, have you?” Cecil inquired.
“There’s no one there at present,” Michael admitted.
“I don’t think the constables would have missed a plain thing like that,” Sir Clinton remarked mildly, though with a faint undertone of correction in his voice.
Before Michael had time to reply they heard Armadale’s voice. The cordon had passed completely through the spinney and was now on the edge of the marble terrace.
“Come along,” Sir Clinton urged. “We mustn’t miss the final scene.”
They hurriedly joined the line just as Armadale ordered a last advance.
“He’s somewhere on this terrace,” he told his men. “See that he doesn’t break away from you at the last moment.”
Sir Clinton turned to Michael.
“Just the same as before?”
Michael made a gesture of assent.