Miss Silver held her pencil poised.

‘When you say ridiculously, do you mean that she has no reason to be jealous?’

Adriana laughed a little harshly.

‘Far from it! I should say she had every reason! But what does she expect? She is older than Geoffrey, and she could never have been attractive. No one has ever been able to make out why he married her. As far as I know, she has no money. Well, so much for Geoffrey and Edna. Then there’s Meriel.’

Miss Silver wrote down the name and repeated it on a note of enquiry.

‘Meriel-?’

‘Oh, Ford – Ford. At any rate that’s what she’s been called for the last twenty-three years or so. And it’s no use your asking where she comes in, because she doesn’t. You may say that she was thrown on my hands, and there she’s likely to remain. She frightens the men away. An intense creature – probably a misfit anywhere.’

‘What does she do?’

‘The flowers.’ Adriana’s mouth twisted.

‘You have never thought of giving her a profession?’

‘Oh, I’ve thought of it, but all she has ever wanted to do was to go on the stage or to dance – starting at the top. She has no idea of working, and she has no real talent. In fact the whole thing is a grievance.’

Miss Silver wrote against the name of Meriel Ford – ‘Emotional, disappointed, discontented.’

She looked up, to find Adriana’s eyes fixed on her with a doubtful expression.

‘Those are all the regular people, but of course there were visitors. I suppose you don’t want to know about them.’

‘Do you mean that there were visitors staying in the house at the time of the incidents which have alarmed you?’

‘Oh, yes.’

‘Then I think you had better give me the names.’