"If you think that anyone or anything will make His Lordship keep back a finished composition from the public gaze, you're being naive."
The telephone rang.
"If that's Rosemary, I'm in China," Nevil said.
But it was Kevin Macdermott.
"Well, sleuth," said Kevin. "My congratulations. But next time don't waste an afternoon trying to ring up civilians in Aylesbury, when you can get the same information from Scotland Yard by return."
Robert said that he was still sufficiently civilian not to think in terms of Scotland Yard at all; but that he was learning; rapidly.
He sketched the happenings of last night for Kevin's benefit, and said: "I can't afford to be leisurely about it any more. Something must be done as quickly as possible to clear them of this thing."
"You want me to give you the name of a private agent, is that it?"
"Yes, I suppose it has come to that. But I did wonder—"
"Wonder what?" Kevin asked, as he hesitated.