“Oh, for God’s sake, John⁠ ⁠… don’t you understand⁠ ⁠… I⁠ ⁠… I believe I⁠ ⁠… I’ve killed her⁠ ⁠… myself⁠ ⁠… I don’t know.” He looked quickly at John and away again. John’s honest mouth was opening. His grey eyes were wide and horrified. When Stephen saw that, he hurried on, “I may be wrong⁠ ⁠… but anyhow Margery mustn’t know anything about it⁠ ⁠… you must see that⁠ ⁠… it would probably kill her⁠ ⁠… and she’ll be back any moment now. Oh, come on, for God’s sake.” A sudden vision of his wife walking through the front door on to that horrible thing in the hall spurred him to the door.

John Egerton stood still by the solid table, his hands gripping the edge of it behind him. He understood now.