“There is nothing to trip over on the stairs. No carpets or stair rails to come loose,” Pitt pointed out, still watching Ramsay’s face. “And Stander and Miss Braithwaite both heard Miss Bellwood call out ‘No, no, Reverend’ just before she fell. And Mrs. Parmenter saw someone leaving the landing and heading in this direction.”

Ramsay stared at him and slowly horror filled his face, etching the lines around his nose and mouth deeper. “You must have misunderstood!” he protested, but his skin was very white and he seemed to have difficulty forming his words, as if his lips and tongue would not obey him. “That is preposterous! What you are suggesting is that… I pushed her!” He gulped and swallowed. “I assure you, Mr. Pitt, I found her most irritating, an arrogant and insensitive young woman whose moral standards were highly questionable, but I most certainly did not push her.” He drew in his breath. “Indeed, I did not touch her at all, nor did I leave this room after our… difference.” He spoke vehemently, his voice rather loud. His eyes did not waver in the slightest from meeting Pitt’s, but he was afraid. It was in the beads of sweat on his skin, the brightness of his eyes, the way his body was held rigid.

Pitt rose to his feet. “Thank you for your time, Reverend Parmenter. I shall speak to the rest of the household.”

“You… you must find out what happened!” Ramsay protested, taking a step forward and then stopping abruptly. “I did not touch her!”

Pitt excused himself and went back downstairs to look for Mallory Parmenter. When Braithwaite and Stander realized that everything rested upon their word, they might both retract their statements, and Pitt would be left with nothing, except a death and an accusation he could not prove. In a way that would be perhaps the most unsatisfactory outcome of all.

He crossed the spectacular hallway, the body of Unity Bellwood now removed, and found Mallory Parmenter in the library. He was staring out of the window at the spring rain now beating against the glass, but he swung around as soon as he heard the door opening. His face was full of question.