He shook his head sadly.

‘How ironic that the decease of our benefactor and dearly beloved companion should thus become, to some extent at least, a consummation devoutly to be wished! How much more fitting, how infinitely more desirable all round, if the cash were to be made available in the form of a long-term, unsecured, interest-free loan, no strings attached, no questions asked!’

He swung round’ on Mrs Hargreaves, arms outspread in dramatic appeal.

‘What do you say, Mavis? Yes or no? What’s it to be? Give us your answer, do!’

Mrs Hargreaves simpered.

‘I believe in burning my boats when I come to them, Mr A.’

Anderson sighed deeply.

‘Very well.’

He looked around, taking them in one by one.

‘But I must warn you-all of you-that unless someone comes across with a sizeable injection of the ready in the very near future, then you will all be facing privation on a hitherto unimaginable scale. There is simply no telling what measures I may be obliged to resort to in my desperate attempts to make ends meet. Certainly this latest tragedy could have been avoided if we’d been able to retain the services of extra staff.’

He pointed at Dorothy.

‘I take it you’ve told them about Channing?’

‘Blood!’ cried Belinda Scott. ‘She said there was blood everywhere!’

Anderson nodded brightly.

‘There was a certain amount in evidence, I must admit. In point of fact the togs I was wearing at the time got fairly comprehensively besmirched-hence the present nifty outfit with its subtle overtones of naphthalene.’

He upended the glass and let the final drop roll into his open mouth.

‘Fortunately the damage seems to be considerably less serious than we first feared,’ he went on. ‘Letty applied first aid immediately, and with any luck the effects will hardly be noticeable once the garments in question have been to the cleaners.’