‘No. She only told a lot of lies and tried to conceal a dead body. If Melisande Chevret did commit a murder,’ Payne said, ‘it would be in a fit of extravagant passion, which she would later regret-’

‘Shush – she’s coming.’

‘You’ll never believe this, but my sister has decided to put in an appearance. That in itself should be a cause for celebration.’ Melisande Chevret brought her hands together. ‘This morning she threatened she would lock herself in her room.’

‘I didn’t threaten anything of the sort.’ Melisande’s sister smiled.

‘You refused to come down to breakfast, darling.’

‘I didn’t “refuse”. I was extremely busy. I simply had to finish that book-’

‘I’d go blind or mad if I read as much as my sister, but Win is so terribly disciplined. My sister lives in organized rigour. I am the complete opposite. The light in this house is awful. So sorry, I’m forgetting my manners – Antonia and Hugh Payne – my sister Winifred.’ Melisande Chevret turned on Payne a gaze of embarrassing brilliance – the kind that ‘projected’ across footlights, he thought.

‘How do you do?’ Winifred extended her hand. ‘I don’t think your house has a name, has it?’

‘No, only a humble number,’ said Payne.

‘I hate houses with names,’ Melisande said.

‘I believe you have a cat?’ Winifred said.

‘Yes. His name is Dupin,’ said Antonia. ‘Do you like cats?’

‘I used to like cats. I have mixed feelings about cats.’

‘This must be the worst-lit room I have ever been in. I believe we all look like drowned people floating at the bottom of a lake.’ Melisande sighed. ‘For some reason nothing seems right tonight – or is it just me?’

‘I have heard about you of course, Antonia, but I’m afraid I haven’t read any of your books,’ Winifred said. ‘I read all the time, but rarely for pleasure these days.’

‘You aren’t by any chance a publisher’s reader? A small independent publisher?’ Payne suggested.