“I’m taking up your time, sir,” he said with an effort. “There’s no need for you to blame yourself. I dare say we were a couple of young fools to take on such a job. You warned us all right. But I wish to God I’d been the one to get it in the neck. Goodbye, sir.”

Back at the Ritz, Tommy packed up his few belongings mechanically, his thoughts far away. He was still bewildered by the introduction of tragedy into his cheerful commonplace existence. What fun they had had together, he and Tuppence! And now⁠—oh, he couldn’t believe it⁠—it couldn’t be true! Tuppence⁠—dead! Little Tuppence, brimming over with life! It was a dream, a horrible dream. Nothing more.