The Murder at Sissingham Hall by Clara Benson

usual key must have been missing from the inside of the door,’ I said. ‘Otherwise the spare key would not have worked.’
    ‘Oh no, sir,’ replied the butler. ‘I ought to have mentioned that the key was in the lock and we had to fetch a length of strong wire to push it onto the floor from the other side before we could try any of the spare keys.’
    Mr. Pomfrey nodded.
    ‘Yes, I have both keys here in my pocket,’ he said. Turning back to Rogers, he said: ‘When you found Sir Neville, did you approach or touch him at all?’
    ‘I had to approach him, sir, as he was not visible from the doorway. He was hidden by the desk and the easy-chair that is placed to one side of the fire. I approached quite near to him, as I thought it possible that he had merely hurt himself but one look was enough to tell me that there was nothing to be done.’
    ‘And what did you do then?’
    ‘Why, sir, I locked the door and came straightaway and reported the matter to you. I did not think it my place to break the news myself to Lady Strickland.’
    ‘Did you move the body at all?’
    ‘No, sir. I never even touched him.’
    ‘When you returned with me to the study, he was in the same position in which you had left him?’
    ‘Yes, sir.’
    ‘I see. Very good, Rogers, you may go.’
    ‘Just one moment,’ said Mrs. Marchmont gently. ‘I have one or two questions, if I may.’
    The butler paused obediently.
    ‘You are responsible for locking up the house at night, are you not?’
    ‘I am, madam,’ replied the butler.
    ‘At what time?’
    ‘The usual time is ten o’clock but I do my rounds later, at eleven o’clock, when we have guests. Some people like to take an evening stroll on the terrace, you see.’
    ‘Do you check all the doors every night? Even those that perhaps have not been opened for some time?’
    ‘Every one, madam. Sir Neville is—was most particular about it. We often have guests here and you never know when one of them might take it into his head to unlock a door without telling anybody—begging your pardon, madam.’
    ‘Did you check them all last night?’
    ‘Yes, madam. I made sure they were all locked as usual—all except the French windows in here. Sir Neville came here after dinner and locked himself in. He said he had no further need for me that evening and did not want to be disturbed.’
    ‘Was it normal for him to lock himself in?’ asked Mr. Pomfrey.
    ‘Not normal , exactly,’ said Rogers, considering. ‘But he had done it one or twice before, usually when he had something important to do and didn’t want anybody to disturb him. I recall he said once that he had done it out of absent-mindedness—he was thinking so hard about the business at hand that he did not realize he had done it.’
    ‘So you don’t know whether or not the French windows were locked last night?’ said Angela.
    ‘No, madam, but as Sir Neville had been adamant that he was to be left in peace and as he had locked the study door, I did not feel I could insist on completing my rounds. I mentioned it to Lady Strickland and she agreed that I should not disturb him. The French windows had been locked the night before and I could see no reason why Sir Neville should open them, so I let the matter lie. I hope no harm has come of it,’ he concluded anxiously.
    ‘Not as far as I know,’ replied Mrs. Marchmont. ‘I have just one more question.’ She indicated the whisky decanter on the sideboard. ‘When did you last re-fill this?’
    ‘It would have been on Wednesday, madam,’ replied Rogers.
    ‘Today is Saturday and there is hardly any left. Does that strike you as normal? Pardon me for asking but did Sir Neville generally drink whisky in this sort of quantity?’
    Rogers looked shocked.
    ‘No indeed!’ he replied. ‘I have always found him to be a very temperate gentleman. He would take a small glass before dinner and occasionally another after, usually with soda. I don’t know why the whisky should have