Adriana leaned back.

‘Well, there was Mabel Preston for one. She was there for the day when I broke my leg, but of course she couldn’t have had anything to do with it.’

‘And who is Mabel Preston?’

Adriana made a face.

‘Oh, an old friend, and an unlucky one. She used to be quite well known as Mabel Prestayne, but she married a wrong un and went downhill. He spent everything she earned, and when she couldn’t earn any more he went off and left her, poor thing. I have her down once in a way, but I must say I didn’t want her just then.’

Pencil poised, Miss Silver enquired,

‘Had she any interest in your will?’

Adriana looked rueful.

‘Well, she has. I help her a bit, and she is down for an annuity. But it wouldn’t be of any advantage to her really. In fact I should think she would lose by my death, because I give her things from time to time – clothes, you know – that sort of thing. You can put Mabel out of your head. It’s really not worth your while to write her down. I’ve known her for forty years, and she wouldn’t hurt a fly.’

‘Have you any other names to give me?’

‘There is my young cousin, Star Somers – you will know about her. She is very pretty and attractive, and she has had quite a success in comedy. She doesn’t live at Ford House, but she runs up and down because her little girl is there with a nanny. Star divorced her husband about a year ago. He comes down sometimes to see the child, but he doesn’t stay in the house. Another occasional visitor is Star’s cousin, Ninian Rutherford. They’re like brother and sister and very fond of each other – their fathers were twins. He comes to stay when she is there.’

Miss Silver wrote down the name. Then she said,

‘And which of these people was staying in the house when you fell on the stairs?’

Adriana’s eyes looked back at her with a mocking expression.

‘Oh, all of them, except Robin Somers. No, let me see – I believe he was there too.