‘My address!’ said the Prince, with one of his mournful smiles. ‘Alas, I have no longer an address to call my own since my country has been in the hands of my enemies. My name is Alexis Feodor Gregorovitch Varasashvili. I am absolutely at your service.’
The Inspector drew a breath, and requested him to spell it. When he had succeeded in transcribing the name correctly in his notebook, he said that he understood that the Prince was a friend of Mrs Carter.
‘She does me the honour of saying so,’ bowed the Prince.
‘Have you been acquainted with her for long?’
‘No, for I met her a few months ago only, at Antibes.’
‘And Mr Carter, too?’
‘Ah no, Mr Carter did not accompany his wife! I met Mr Carter for the first time on Friday, when I arrived to spend the week-end here. Little did I think then it would end in such tragedy!’
‘No, sir. I understand that you were one of the last people to see Mr Carter before he set out for the Dower House this afternoon?’
‘Is it so indeed? That I did not know, for I myself was gone from the house before he left it. I asked of him the way to Dr Chester’s house. Miss Cliffe, I think, was present. Yes, I am sure. I left her with him.’
‘At what time would that have been, sir?’
The Prince shook his head. ‘I am sorry. I cannot tell you. It was certainly more than half past four, but I cannot be precise, for I had not the occasion to look at my watch.’
‘What did you do when you left the house, sir?’
‘But naturally I walked to the garage. I should explain, perhaps, that Miss Fanshawe was so very kind as to lend me her car. I drove myself, therefore, to the doctor’s house.’
‘Did you happen to notice what the time was when you arrived there?’
The smile flashed out again. ‘It is, I see, very fortunate for me that I can say yes, Inspector. Mr Carter told me it was impossible that I should mistake the house, and this I found was entirely true. I did, in fact, arrive at five minutes to five. The doctor was not in: he had been called out, his housekeeper told me. But in perhaps ten minutes he came back, and we had tea together, and he showed me his relics, until it was time for him to go to his surgery. Then I motored back here, to find – what horror!’
‘Yes, indeed, sir, I’m sure. I take it you can prove what you’ve just told me? That you reached the doctor’s house at five minutes to five?’
The Prince wrinkled his brow. ‘Of course it is most necessary. Surely the good woman, Dr Chester’s housekeeper, would know? Yes, for we spoke of the time, since I had arrived a little before I was expected.’
The Inspector nodded. ‘Very good, sir. Were you a member of the shooting-party Mr Carter went on yesterday?’
‘Certainly, yes.’
‘I understand there was some sort of an accident, sir?’
The Prince flung up his hands. ‘Oh no, no, no! That is to exaggerate, I assure you! There was no accident, but only a great piece of folly, I am persuaded.’
‘On whose part, sir?’
‘I must not conceal from you that it was the carelessness of Mr Carter that so nearly made an accident. You have heard, perhaps, that Mr Carter spoke of being fired at, in particular pointing to Mr Steel in a manner not at all polite, and quite absurd also! I do not know whether there was some misunderstanding about Mr Carter’s post: it is certain that I, and Mr Steel, and Dr Chester, thought he was to have stood in a certain place. It is possible that Mr Carter mistook, though Mr Steel, and indeed the good doctor too, declared it was not so, but merely that he had moved from his original stand. I do not know, but that Mr Steel should shoot with deliberation at his host I find not at all probable.’
‘So Mr Carter thought it was Mr Steel who shot at him, sir? What made him pick on him rather than you, or the doctor, who, I understand, might as easily have done it?’
‘Ah no, not as easily!’ protested the Prince. ‘For both of us, it would have been a more difficult shot. But it is a piece of nonsense! It is not worth discussing.’
‘That’s as may be, sir, and for me to judge. What exactly did Mr Carter say about this incident?’
‘You ask me to recall absurdities, Inspector. Mr Carter was one who talked a great deal, without much sense. I did not concern myself, for when a man talks in the style of the theatre about those who desire his death, it is not important, but on the contrary, quite tiresome. For me, I did not find that Mr Carter’s dislike of Mr Steel was at all sensible.’
‘Did you form any opinion why Mr Carter should have thought Mr Steel wanted him put away?’
The Prince studied his polished finger-nails for a moment in silence. Then he looked up rather deprecatingly. ‘Inspector, you ask of me a very delicate question. I must tell you that I am not familiar with these people. I speak as an onlooker: I am nothing but a week-end guest here. But it is plain to me that Mr Steel admires excessively Mrs Carter. One understands in part the jealousy of Mr Carter. I have perhaps said too much. You will not regard it. Is there more that you would ask of me?’
‘That’ll be all for the present, sir. Were you meaning to go back to London tomorrow? Because if so, I must trouble you—’