In late Victorian London lived many detectives who were the rivals of Sherlock Holmes.

[ Indistinct conversations ] [ Mid-tempo classical music playing ] [ Austrian accent ] There we are, madam, and seven and eightpence, three farthings change.

So happy to serve you.

Elsie, do not be too generous with the cream jug.

Lady Baldwin is supposed to be on a diet.

Sally Anne, how long is that gentleman going to sit at table 11?

We shall be wanting to make the table in a little while.

-Yes, ma'am.

-Ah, madam.

[ Clears throat ] Another pot of tea, if you please.

Shocking, aren't they, men?

My Walter's just the same.

Never can manage to be on time.

Oh, but I'm not waiting for -- Look at him over there.

Been here since 4:00.

Lady come in with him, ordered him a cup of chocolate, and goes off to do her shopping while he stays in the warm.

And now would you believe it?

He's taking a nap.

Oh, Sally Anne, table 6 requires eclairs.

Yes, Frau Mathis.

And your pot of tea, miss.

Too much business at one time.

And how is your clever Lady Molly today, Miss Grenard?

Well, she's a bit late, actually.

Aw, what a shame.

If the men would only leave it to her, I'm sure she would solve all their crimes for them, and they could close up Scotland Yard for good.

Oh.

That would hardly suit the commissioner, I'm afraid.

[ Chuckling ] No, perhaps not.

Uh, I really shall have to say something to this gentleman.

It is not respectable.

I beg your pardon, sir.

A second cup of chocolate, perhaps, sir?

Ohh!

[ Patrons murmuring ] No, on the whole, I don't think so.

Oh, but the color is so becoming to madam's complexion.

Very possibly, but I'm not at the moment impersonating a senior member of the chorus at the Moulin Rouge.

Please show me something less fussy and distinctly smaller.

Of course, headwear is becoming richer this year, madam, more decorative, more -- Something smaller, you think.

Well, perhaps the mauve velvet might suit you.

[ Sighs ] [ Hooves clopping in distance ] Oh, I don't know, Maud.

What do you think?

Twopence is a shocking price to pay for ivorine.

Well, I'd rather have the mother-of-pearl myself.

[ Laughing ] Oh, yes.

Won't they go lovely with my mauve blouse?

Could we have a look at those?

I think they're in the window, miss, near the umbrellas.

Oh, this, madam, is a dear little hat, and so right for the color of madam's eyes.

I presume you take every precaution against sneak thieves here?

Madam, we feel certain our customers are above suspicion.

In that case, you must have a very great deal of merchandise stolen from under your noses.

I hope not, madam.

Now, this one is very much your style.

-Won't you agree?

-Yes, but... [ Hooves clopping in distance ] [ Laughing ] Oh, dear.

Now I look closer at them, I really don't think those are what I wanted.

Well, I must say, they haven't got much of a selection.

Most disappointing.

Come along, Lucy.

Much wider choice at Green and Edwards.

One moment, please.

Would you mind lifting your skirts, young lady?

Really, madam, what will our customers think?

Those girls are shoplifters.

-Oh -- -Don't argue with me.

Stop them.

Here, you let me go!

You can't just go around -- Young woman, I am a police officer.

Aah!

Ohh!

Ohh!

WOMAN: Oh!

Stop those girls.

-Stop!

Thief!

-[ Bells ringing ] [ Cries ] [ Indistinct conversations ] Uh, now, to, uh, recapitulate.

Um, girls, please.

Thank you.

The chocolate is prepared and poured into this urn at half past 3:00.

And you young ladies simply help yourselves.

Inspector, nobody could have meddled with his drink before it reached the table!

Except the young lady who served it.

[ Cries ] Oh, dear, now, come along, my girl.

No need for hysterics.

I simply have to consider all the possibilities.

And this you consider a possibility, Inspector?

That my girls are poisoning the clients' drinks?

Ohh, now, tsch-tsch-tsch-tsch.

The doctor is ready to make his report.

Oh, thank you, Grenard.

Oh, Frau Mathis, if your customers would kindly leave their names and addresses, they may go about their business.

-Oh, Sergeant.

-[ Bells ringing ] [ Horse whinnying ] Good evening, Frau Mathis.

I see a regular mob is collecting outside your premises.

Ah, Saunders.

Lady Molly.

You had better deal with this before the traffic of carriages is severely impaired.

-Now, look here -- -Traffic, Saunders.

Sergeant, you better step outside and clear the roadway.

-Very good, sir.

-[ Sighs ] With your permission, Lady Molly.

Of course.

Hello, Mary.

Lady Molly, it is a catastrophe!

A man is lying dead over here, and they say he has been poisoned in my shop.

Excuse me, my lady.

Now, Mary, tell me briefly what has occurred.

This girl was waiting on the table.

She saw a man come in at about 4:00.

There was a lady with him.

She ordered tea and, uh -- And a cup of chocolate for the gentleman.

Soon afterwards, the lady rose and said, "I must get to the shops.

I shall be back in half an hour."

-Is that right?

-Yes, miss.

He was just sipping his chocolate, and he said, um, "So long," I think.

And she picked up her gloves, and off she went.

LADY MOLLY: And you never saw the lady again?

No, my lady.

She never came back.

I see.

Thank you.

Right.

Mary.

Now, then, Saunders, what have you managed to find out?

Well, what killed him was a terrific dose of morphia.

The doctor thinks that it was administered in this cup of chocolate here.

Look, you can see the dregs.

Fingerprints, Saunders.

Oh, Constable, would you turn out his pockets?

Inspector, my business is ruined!

Who is going to stomach my beautiful pastries after this?

My dear ma'am, after tomorrow, you will have more customers than Madame Tussauds' Chamber of Horrors.

My cuisine, Inspector, is for gentlefolk and not for ghouls!

My dear Frau Mathis.

[ Sighs ] What did the lady look like?

Oh, my lady, so many clients come and go.

She was not one of your regular customers?

No, or I should have recognized her.

She was well-dressed, I should say.

I see.

In dark colors or light?

Dark, I'm sure.

Blue like the Prussian army officers wear.

Or perhaps green.

She wore a muff.

She had white gloves.

Uh, oh, it is not easy, my lady.

SAUNDERS: And her face?

Heavy-featured?

Small mouth?

Wide brows?

Color of hair?

She wore a veil, you know.

Besides, she had on one of those enormous mushroom hats.

Nobody could possibly have seen her face.

Well, the chin, perhaps, unless they had peered right up under the hat.

Which, of course, you could not do.

-FRAU MATHIS: Naturally.

-[ Sighs ] And the hat.

Tell me, would you know the hat again?

That I think, yes.

-Yes, it was quite conspicuous.

-Mm.

Sally Anne, the lady at table 11?

Now, can you describe the hat she was wearing?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

Simply enormous, wasn't it, Tillie?

Every so shiny, a sort of dark-greeny velvet, um, and satin, I think, with lots of feathers.

Frau Mathis, I don't think we need disturb you any longer.

We'll be getting in touch with you very shortly.

Thank you.

Now, come along, girls.

Off.

Off you get.

Now, then, Saunders, that man.

Have you any idea who he is?

Initials M.C.

in his hat.

Also on his letter case.

Several letters addressed to Mark Culledon, Esquire, care of Lorbury House, Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead.

LADY MOLLY: Mm.

Culledon.

Does that name ring a bell, Mary?

Hemp, rope, paper cartons, my lady.

-Are you quite sure?

-Rather.

Largest import firm on Lombard Street.

Going public in the next few months, or so they say.

As it happens, several of the letters are addressed to Lombard Street.

Ha!

Mary's memory is better than any filing system.

Ohh.

Now, then, Fitzjohns Avenue.

That hardly suggests a bachelor's establishment.

I suppose that one of us is going to have to break the news to his wife.

My card, miss.

MAUD: Would you please wait here, my lady?

I'm not sure if Lady Irene is receiving.

We should not, of course, be troubling her if the matter were not urgent.

Yes, my lady.

Mary, take a close look at that parlormaid if you can.

I saw her this afternoon at Willoughby's.

-She was shoplifting.

-[ Gasps ] -Are you sure?

-Quite sure.

And that reminds me, my dear.

While I was there, I tried on a rather large straw hat.

It was quite wrong for me, of course, but I thought it might look rather well on you, my dear.

You know I've not the inches for anything large, Lady Molly.

Somehow the nicest clothes seem to be designed for skinny giants of 5'7".

So, she's Lady Irene, is she?

In her own right.

Younger daughter of the Earl of Athyville.

[ Chuckles ] I borrowed Saunders' copy of Debrett.

The family owned large tracts of bog in County Tyrone.

In other words, they're penniless.

Lady Irene will see you in the drawing room.

LADY MOLLY: Thank you.

MARY: Oh, my lady, whatever will you say to her?

Well, I daresay we shall do rather better than Saunders would have done.

Oh, the poor creature.

And there may be young children.

They would have to be very young indeed, Mary.

Mr. Culledon, I note, had only been married for six months.

[ Bells chiming ] LADY IRENE: Lady Molly.

How do you do?

A moment, please.

Aunt Miriam, won't you let Maud help you to your room?

Thank you, Irene.

I shall do very well where I am.

Lady Irene, it must be said that the news we bring is painful.

Perhaps it would be better if -- It would be better if this lady were to tell us at once whatever it is she has to say.

Then we can go in to dinner.

Thank you, Maud.

Aunt Miriam, Lady Molly.

Lady Molly, Mrs. Steinberg.

Mrs. Steinberg is my aunt.

My husband's aunt, I ought to say.

And this is my assistant, Miss Grenard.

Please sit down.

I confess I had not realized that a woman had any role to play in the police force.

Lady Irene, my news concerns your husband.

What I have to tell you is most grave.

If this is something to do with Mark, these ladies had better wait.

He would not tolerate our talking about him behind his back.

Oh, believe me, I would not dream -- As I'm always pointing out to Irene, her husband is a most exceptional man.

I'm sure he was, ma'am.

Oh, do forgive my clumsiness.

I-I had mentioned that my news was painful.

Painful?

What are you driving at?

It is the worst news, you see.

Your husband died earlier this evening.

Yes, of course.

That is it.

LADY MOLLY: You knew?

I quite often know about Mark, where he is, whether he's sad or happy.

My boy?

My own Mark?

I shall not believe it!

Well, what has really happened?

Could one of you ring?

Aunt Miriam, you really must rest.

-Could you help?

-He is my heir.

He cannot be allowed to die.

Everything I have is his.

All my hopes are upon him.

Mrs. Steinberg is to lie down, Maud.

I shall be up to visit her shortly.

-MIRIAM: Mark!

-[ Door closes ] As you see, she's devoted to my husband.

I should like to have spared her such a shock.

Lady Irene, may I say that you are a very brave woman?

[ Bells tolling ] SAUNDERS: Believe it or not, Grenard, not one of those silly girls, not one of them, mark you, could give a proper description of that girl he was taking his tea with.

It's enough to make you want to shut up shop.

Never mind, Inspector.

I'm sure Lady Molly will be able to help you once more.

I have not come for help, Miss Grenard, but to inquire what your lady knows about this advertisement.

What advertisement would that be, Inspector?

Well, it's been running in the morning post for the past three days.

I am surprised Lady Molly has not spotted it.

"For sale, twin-cylinder wagonette, six horsepower."

Miss Grenard.

Look here.

£50 reward.

"For information leading to the conviction of the cruel murderer of my nephew Mark Culledon, Esquire.

-Write to postal box --" -Now, what do you think of that?

A determined old woman, Mrs. Steinberg.

Who loathes publicity.

Now, why should she put such a thing in the newspaper, hmm?

Let's see.

The inquest was last Thursday.

So she must have put it in the day after that.

If she put it in.

That inquest proved nothing.

An open verdict.

Something had to be done.

Just what I was thinking, Grenard.

Good morning, Saunders.

I must apologize for being late.

At it again, are we, my lady?

Last time it was counterfeit headlines in the Ninescore affair.

Which we managed to clear up for you, as I recall.

[ Clears throat ] This time it's a bogus advertisement in the morning post.

Yes, I gather the aunt is a trifle upset.

The question is, will it work?

Well, more replies this morning, and a rather mercenary-looking young woman downstairs who is eager to see you.

Ah, yes, that must be, uh, Miss -- Miss Harris, one of our earliest replies.

You better send her up at once.

SAUNDERS: [ Sighs ] [ Chuckles ] Lady Molly, there are certain rules of procedure.

Oh, that reminds me.

I've been meaning to return your copy of the police handbook.

My favorite piece is on page 42.

I have marked it.

"Act swiftly by all means to apprehend the criminal.

The longer he remains at large, the greater the chance of his never being caught at all."

So instructive.

Lady Molly, one of these days you will get this department -into serious trouble.

-Into serious trouble.

Oh, and, Saunders, could you find your way to getting us £50?

I'll see you... Oh, and, Saunders?

Here's a list of some six or seven of Mrs. Steinberg's nieces and nephews.

It might be worth tracking them down.

Lady Molly?

Yes?

This the young woman who wrote to you.

She claims to have seen the woman in the big hat.

Ah, yes, come in, Miss, uh -- Um, Katie Harris, ma'am.

I thought I ought to come.

Ooh, Katie Harris.

I think we've met before.

Surely, Miss Harris, you were at Willoughby's, the drapers, the week before last, the day that I arrested your friend Lucy Smith?

Oh, your ladyship must be mistaken.

Well, no matter for the moment.

I shall be very interested to hear what you have to say.

Well, I can't take long, my lady.

I'm really on an errand, you see, but I just thought it right to let you know what I know.

And what is that?

Well, it's about this woman they're looking for, the one that knew Mr. Culledon.

Oh, yes.

You claim to have seen her?

Oh, I've seen her, all right.

You mean you were in the tea shop that afternoon?

Tea shop?

Oh, no, it was before that.

In Mr. Culledon's own house it was.

See, that's where I was working, till I came to my present place.

Let me be quite clear about this.

You were employed, you say, at Lorbury House?

I was engaged when they come back from their honeymoon.

See, there was only the butler and the housekeeper and us two maids.

And what with the butler being sent out all hours to furnish the wine cellar -- And when was this, Katie?

Oh, um, that would be Thursday afternoon, nearly a week after they had got back.

Only, of course, the mistress was out that particular afternoon.

I see.

And as the butler was also out, you opened the front door to this lady.

Yes, I did.

And the master saw her in his smoking room alone, my lady.

Uh, did the lady give her name?

Oh, I did glance at her card.

I can't say I recollect it, though.

One of them foreign names it was.

Foreign?

Well, she looked sort of foreign herself, really.

Do you mean to say that she spoke like a foreigner?

Well, she didn't say much, just asked for Mr. Culledon.

But all the same, she looked a bit, well, French-like, to me.

Aha!

Could you describe her, do you think?

Well, she was tall, beautifully dressed.

Did she wear a large hat?

Hat.

Oh, don't remember it as being particularly large.

Do you think that you would know her if you saw her again?

Oh, yes, I think so.

All dressed in dark green she was.

She was very handsome, I must say.

Did you say green?

Well, that blue-green, you know?

My lady, Prussian blue or green was how Frau Mathis described the woman's dress in the tea shop.

Thank you, Mary.

Um, how long did the lady stay?

Well, she was with him nearly over an hour, see, and that was the trouble because, in the end, the mistress come home.

I see.

And so, of course, you let her in.

Yes.

But you did not mention that your master was already entertaining a visitor.

She never asked.

[ Clears throat ] And then what happened?

Well, then, as the mistress was going upstairs, the foreign lady comes out of the smoking room, and they meet, you see, on the stairs.

And do you recall what was said?

I couldn't say, my lady.

But after a while, the master come out of his room, and he went on at me something dreadful.

And I think he must have complained to the mistress 'cause she gave me my notice next morning.

And you never saw the foreign lady again?

No, she never come back while I was there.

Well, thank you, Katie.

We're most grateful to you for all that you've been telling us.

I wonder what decided you to come.

Well, I just thought it was my duty, my lady.

Least I could do for poor Mr. Culledon.

Most commendable, particularly if he was the person responsible for you losing your place.

Oh, but when he was murdered -- You forgave him and decided to help.

Yes.

Then why did you not come forward before?

At the inquest, for example?

Why wait until now?

Well, I just thought it was my duty.

Splendid, Katie.

And now I think you'd better hurry on your errand.

Oh, I say.

What is it, Katie?

Well, if the foreign lady gets hung, will I get the 50 quid?

"Any member of the public who may have noticed this woman on the afternoon in question is kindly asked to com--" "Communicate."

Yes, "with Scotland Yard."

Makes you wonder what the police get paid for, innit, eh?

I mean, I don't know how much plainer I could have made it for them.

Yeah, well, don't go making yourself too plain around here, or we shall be in a mess.

Your Lady Molly will be here any minute, and she knows a sight too much about us already.

I don't know why you had to go and talk to her in the first place.

£50, my girl.

That's what for!

Just you think of the ribands you could buy for that, Maud, and the high boots.

Oh, you are awful, Katie Harris.

Poor Lucy's case coming up next week.

[ Chuckles ] You can use your share of it to help her, if you like.

[ Bell rings ] Oh, not her again.

What's she coming around for this time?

She's been sent for by old Mrs. S. Gonna get a rap 'round her knuckles, if you ask me.

This way, my lady.

I'm to show you straight up.

Thank you.

MAUD: Lady Molly, my lady.

LADY IRENE: Lady Molly, we are grateful to you for coming.

Kindly sit down, Irene, until I have quite finished.

Won't you also sit down, Lady Molly?

Thank you, Lady Irene.

How dare you impersonate me, madam, and fabricate an entry in a newspaper column on my behalf?

It was unorthodox, I agree, but -- Have the courtesy not to interrupt me, madam policewoman, or you'll quickly find yourself in the dock.

You have forged my name, placed my bankers in a totally false position.

-But as to that -- -Will you be silent?!

There are a dozen charges I could bring against you.

I have spoken to the commissioner on the telephone.

He will not protect you, madam, if I decide to do away with you.

[ Gasps ] Aunt Miriam, if you cannot keep calm, I shall have to call for the doctors.

You know quite well it is dangerous for you to give way to these rages.

But why should you want to do away with me, Mrs. Steinberg?

When I last saw you, you told me how you loved your nephew.

You praised him and believed in him.

So I do, madam.

And now he cannot defend his name.

You shall not defame him.

He was the only one of my entire family with any proper moral sense.

Mrs. Steinberg, somebody killed your nephew.

I want to find out who it was.

And I do not, my clever lady.

I want my nephew's honor intact, the honor of the family.

But the inquiry.

Do you not understand me yet?

There will be no further inquiry, or there will be an end to Lady Molly of the Yard.

[ Bell tolling ] [ Sighs ] The commissioner writes he has taken you off the Culledon case only with the deepest regret.

Thank you, Mary.

And he assures you he rejects the theory that Mr. Culledon was the victim of an outrage by the supporters of equal rights for women.

[ Sighs heavily ] Inspector Saunders is none too happy about losing us, either.

He may not approve of your methods, but he does respect your feminine intuition.

Fiddle-faddle.

That man only talks about intuition because he cannot bear the idea that a woman can think.

He has, in fact, managed to interview several of Mrs. Steinberg's relatives, the ones she cut out of her will.

Mm.

And with what result?

They seem to think that if he could put up with her, he deserved the money.

Well, my lady, I thought that you would like to know that we have found her.

Who do you mean?

Shall we say a woman whose description tallies closely with that of our murderess?

What is more, she confesses as much.

Confesses?

LADY MOLLY: You've seen her?

Spoken to her.

-What?

-On the telephone.

I've asked her to come up here to make a statement.

To my office?

But surely -- Well, the commissioner thought it only fair that you should be invited to meet her.

That was very civil of him, Saunders.

Yes, well, as a matter of fact, she made rather a fuss about coming to my office.

In fact, she refused to come at all unless she could speak to you, so... -Oh!

-Oh, hurrah, Mary!

We're back on the case!

Now, really, I can't promise that.

Who is she, Saunders?

-Well, here are the details.

-Oh, of course.

Oh, yes, and she has a foreign accent, all right.

I wonder if she wears a big hat.

Miss Elizabeth Lowenthal.

-[ Austrian accent ] Lady Molly?

-Yes.

How do you do?

I am not too soon, am I, Inspector?

I don't follow, miss.

For the the past 24 hours, I have been watched by your police.

I thought I should come of my own accord before you came to arrest me in my flat.

Very sensible, miss, although, of course, there is no question of a warrant...for the moment.

Yes, for the moment.

But you know my friends, my servants, even my landlady.

They have all read the description of this woman who is thought to have murdered Mark.

Mr. Culledon.

Ah.

Inspector, I do not want detectives to hang out about outside my flat, questioning my neighbors.

In fact, I will not have it.

But why not, Miss Lowenthal, if you have nothing to conceal?

Shall we say I prefer the scent of Parma violets to the odor of the law?

Miss Lowenthal, I take it that you do not deny that you knew Mark Culledon well.

Oh, yes, I knew Mark.

In fact, you are the lady that Katie Harris showed into the smoking room at Lorbury House.

That is true, is it not?

I did go there once, certainly.

Mark Culledon treated me badly, or so I felt.

I wanted to spite him, to make some scandal or other.

Why shouldn't I?

So straitlaced, so respectable he had become.

It would have served him right.

But then, between scandal and murder, there is a wide gulf.

Don't you agree with me?

Oh, certainly.

Oh, yes, indeed.

You are getting all this, aren't you, Miss Grenard?

"Between scandal and murder, there is a wide gulf."

LADY MOLLY: [ Chuckles ] Now, Miss Lowenthal, would you mind telling us in what way Mr. Culledon treated you badly?

I have come here to tell you everything I know.

You see, at one time, Mark was engaged to marry me.

Was he, indeed?

And when would this be?

Little more than a year ago.

Before he met the Lady Irene?

-Oh, yes.

-I see.

Then he changed his mind, did he?

Decided that he'd rather marry an earl's daughter than, uh... -Myself?

-Mm-hmm.

Something of the kind, Inspector.

Saunders, I think Miss Lowenthal might be allowed to sit down.

Oh, yes, of course.

[ Bells tolling ] Thank you.

Poor Mark.

That rich aunt of his must have regarded me as a most undesirable match.

I was a foreigner, after all.

Then, my profession was not respectable.

What is your profession, ma'am?

I am an actress.

Ah!

An actress!

And where did you meet Mr. Culledon, at the stage door?

As it happened, we met on the Channel steamer.

He was returning from some business on the Continent.

He fell in love with me.

And after a few weeks, he asked me to be his wife.

And you accepted, of course.

After some hesitation, I did.

And then your engagement was announced?

No, Mark told me it must be kept secret for a time.

He explained about his aunt, who was old and from whom he had great expectations.

And who, as you say, did not want him to marry a foreign girl who was an actress.

Miss Lowenthal, where do you come from, exactly?

From Vienna.

Thank you.

Vienna, yes.

Well, after that, I mistrusted him.

We saw one another less and less often, and one evening he informed me he had changed his mind.

He felt sure that if I really loved him, I would understand.

But you felt anything but understanding.

Am I not right, miss?

He had jilted you, had he not?

And you were determined that he should suffer for it.

Really, Saunders, this hectoring is quite unnecessary.

But the inspector is quite right.

To be humiliated, and in a foreign country.

Yes, I certainly did want to punish him.

Would you tell us how you set about it?

I decided to bring an action against him.

An action at law?

For breach of promise.

When his aunt heard about it, I felt sure she would cut him out of the will, after all.

Is this all that you intended to do?

It would have been punishment enough for him, yes.

Did he know what you intended?

Oh, yes.

That was the reason I went to his house after his honeymoon.

To tell him about it.

Uh, Miss Lowenthal, you have told us how Mr. Culledon fell in love with you, at least for a time.

Did you, in fact, care anything for him?

Oh, yes, I loved him.

Otherwise, why should I bother to punish him?

There would not have been any point.

Ah.

And the more you loved him, of course, the heavier would have to be his punishment.

I did not care for him enough to murder him, Lady Molly.

Oh.

Grenard, would you kindly confine yourself to taking notes?

Yes, Inspector.

Nevertheless, ma'am, I'm sure -- I'm sure that you appreciate our difficulty.

You see, you bear a close resemblance to the woman seen with him shortly before he died.

And you have given us what this case has so far lacked.

A motive.

I know what is in your mind, Inspector.

A jealous woman, an actress and a foreigner, rather than see her lover happy with another, poisons him in a public place.

Oh, it makes a fine story for the melodrama, sir, but, happily for me, it is not the truth.

In that case, only one thing remains to established your innocence.

The inspector refers to your whereabouts at the time of the crime.

-Lady Molly.

-What?

With your permission.

I was out.

Shopping, perhaps?

No.

Visiting friends?

No.

Well, someone must have seen you.

I was with no one, Inspector.

I met no one.

I went alone onto Primrose Hill for a long walk.

Quite so, Inspector.

I have no alibi.

[ Gunshots ] So perish all thick-headed policemen who can see no further than an alibi.

But he let her go, my lady, thanks to you.

He will have her arrested this afternoon, just the same.

As far as he's concerned, the case is open and shut.

The idiot.

Surely that lovely creature is incapable of falsehood.

You're a dear, sweet girl, Mary.

Sometimes I could give you a good bang on the head.

27.

Your turn.

Yes, Lady Molly.

Oh, and, Mary, do try not to flinch today.

I do not wish to have to replace another pane in the skylights.

Well, I, for one, shall refuse to believe she's guilty.

Elbow up, wrist parallel.

[ Gunshot ] Keep your sights low.

That one would only have lifted his wig off.

[ Gunshot ] That one pulled well to the right.

It's so unfair.

[ Gunshot ] Saunders has no proper evidence against the Austrian lady at all.

Maybe enough for the jury, all the same.

Keep your sights low, dear.

[ Gunshot, glass breaks ] Hang on.

Did you say "the Austrian lady"?

Viennese, she told us.

My hat!

We've been missing the most obvious clue in the world.

Mary, what is Frau Mathis' proudest boast?

I suppose that her pastries are truly Viennese.

Precisely.

Viennese.

Quite a coincidence, isn't it?

-Is it?

-Yes.

But then there's that hat that we've heard so much about.

Why did they all mention that?

Mary, how many girls can we muster this afternoon for an urgent errand?

-Four, perhaps five.

-Not enough.

Get hold of every girl on the Haymarket that we've ever done a good turn to.

Make a list of all the little milliners' places from here to Hampstead.

I've got to find out where that hat was made up.

Oh, and, Mary, meet me at the Remand Prison, Pentonville Road.

But why, particularly?

The hat, Mary, the hat!

[ Door closes ] [ Indistinct conversations ] [ Baby crying ] Of course I understand, Lucy.

Those two girls are your friends, and so I shall not ask you to give evidence against them.

Your ladyship, they'd kill me if I did.

What puzzles me is that first Katie and then Maud should be taken on as parlormaids at Lorbury House.

That's odd.

Don't you think?

Oh, no, my lady.

Well, they agreed it between them, you see, while Mr. Culledon used to come 'round our lodgings.

But this was before he was married, of course.

Oh, yes, 'cause then he went off Katie.

-Oh, did he?

-Yes.

He wanted to see more of Maud instead.

I understand perfectly.

You mean that Katie made him promise to give her a post at Lorbury House if he wanted his afternoons with Maud.

That's right.

But what happened when Katie lost her position?

Well, of course, next time he came 'round our place, there was a terrible old rumpus.

But this was after he was married.

Surely he was not still a visitor?

You're a caution, my lady.

Of course he used to come visit us, more than ever.

[ Laughs ] I see!

Lucy, my dear, you've helped me wonderfully.

Here!

I haven't blabbed too much, have I?

Well, you won't tell the girls?

I give you my word.

And don't worry, my child.

I'll have you released in my charge if it's the last thing I do.

Good day, my dear.

[ Conversations, crying continue ] [ Mid-tempo classical music playing ] [ Indistinct conversations ] Girls, girls, what are you doing?

The lady will be here any second.

Inspector, this is a tea shop, not a police station!

Frau Mathis, now, look here.

If I move this affair down to the police station, I shall have to take all your girls along, too.

-Is that what you want?

-Very well.

Stay if you must, but please be discreet.

Lady Pomfret Greene has just arrived.

Now, girls, observe.

I want you to tell me exactly what you see.

Our lady just got out of her cab now, sir.

-Sally Anne, I want you -- -Frau Mathis!

Just a few more moments, please!

Ohh, I'm so tired of these police.

Girls, I want you to look very carefully, indeed.

I received your message, Inspector.

Yes, um, it's purely routine, miss.

Just to clear up any doubts.

You understand?

Now, you want me to walk around the shop?

Yes, and sit at one of the tables, if you would, miss.

[ Indistinct conversations ] I quite understand.

Well, girls, what do you think?

Is it her, or isn't it?

Sally Anne!

I-I don't exactly know, sir.

She does look quite like the lady, but -- But what?

There's something, you know, different about her.

[ Sighs ] Well, what is the difference?

I can't really say, sir.

But she does look quite like her.

[ Sighs ] [ Hooves clopping in distance ] I'm not sure if the mistress is receiving, my lady, but I will inquire.

Thank you, Maud.

Oh, and, Maud, pay Katie Harris my respects, will you?

And give her this note.

Katie Harris?

Now, do not pretend that she's not belowstairs at this very moment.

And be sure that you bring her with you when you come up to the drawing room when you are sent for.

-I don't know anybody -- -Oh, be off with you.

Yes, my lady.

Are we not running a dreadful risk?

Mrs. Steinberg may take it into her head to have us both arrested.

I should very much like her to try, Mary.

I'm not convinced that it was solely the family honor that caused her to try and throw me off the case.

Lady Molly, you don't think that that sick old woman could have had any hand in -- You will learn what I think soon enough, Mary.

In the meantime, I shall be well content to interview Mrs. Steinberg again.

If only that were possible, Lady Molly.

My beloved aunt passed away in the early hours of this morning.

Please come in.

You understand this was not unexpected.

Since the inquest, her life has been hanging in the balance.

Lady Irene, we should not have intruded at such a moment.

-Please forgive us.

-You could not have known.

Anyway, perhaps you bring me news of the inquiry.

I do have a theory, but to test it out, I need your help.

Unhappily, this is hardly the occasion.

Oh, no, no, you must tell me at once what you wish me to do.

Well, then, I should like to put a few questions to your maid.

I am to give evidence in a shoplifting case in which I'm sorry to say she is involved.

If you think it will be of value, Lady Molly.

But has Maud really been shoplifting?

I fear so.

-And Katie, too.

-Katie?

Oh, Maud, put it down here.

Katie, what are you doing here?

Um, my lady, I do sometimes come and keep Maud company belowstairs.

Knowing she was here, I asked her to come up.

Will you indulge me further and allow her to stay?

If you wish, Lady Molly, but I shall want words with you, miss, later on.

Yes, my lady.

Now, I'm sure you both know these ladies -are with the police.

-Yes, my lady.

You will do your best to answer their questions.

Yes, my lady.

What I'm after is really quite painless.

No, thank you, no cream.

You see, this afternoon, one of the waitresses at Mathis' tea shop is to identify the woman who poisoned your late master.

Now, in order to do this, the police want a number of young ladies wearing unusually large hats to parade before them.

Mary, your tea, dear.

Oh, thank you.

To see if the waitress will continue to pick out the same woman.

I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Lady Molly.

You mentioned a case of shoplifting.

Yes, I think these young ladies understand the connection quite well.

In any case, I'm sure they both possess fine, big hats.

I do have quite a pretty one, my lady.

My "cherry ripe," as my young man calls it.

Well, you better run along and fetch it, Maud, -to humor our guests.

-Yes, my lady.

LADY MOLLY: And you, Katie.

Can you also oblige us?

Me, my lady?

Katie does not live in this house.

So how can she suddenly produce a particular hat?

Well, Katie, how can you?

Um... My lady.

I do have the one that your ladyship wouldn't wear and threw away.

Maud found the scraps in the dust hole, and we put it together.

I can't think what you mean, Katie.

I never wear big hats.

No, my lady.

But Katie means the one you ordered at Sanchia's.

Well, you only wore it the once.

The day you went to that concert.

Now, then, which day would that be?

That I could never forget, my lady.

Well, I helped undress your ladyship when you came home.

And you said that you'd never wear that big hat again, that it was far too heavy for you.

Oh.

And that same evening, we learned that -- Well, you came up to tell us, my lady, that Mr. Culledon was murdered.

Thank you, Maud.

I'm sure that will answer our purpose very well.

And now I think I would like you to go and put on your hats.

Yes, my lady.

So, your own maid knew all along.

Or did you imagine that she did not guess?

LADY IRENE: You can prove nothing.

Well, let us see what we can prove.

Mary?

Today we found a milliner in the Portland Road called Sanchia.

She tells us she made up a hat to your own minute description one week before your husband died.

How dare she?!

We believe that that hat was a copy of the one that Miss Lowenthal was wearing the day she came here and met you on the stairs.

The courts will laugh at you.

Would you care to test the waitress's memory?

I think I have suffered enough without this monstrous charge.

Is it so monstrous?

We believe that you were well aware of your husband's entanglement with Miss Lowenthal.

You also knew that at the first breath of scandal, your aunt would cut your husband, and therefore yourself, out of her will.

That breach-of-promise action was a blow to your hopes.

How could you keep it from your aunt?

Then you thought of a plan.

You arranged to meet your husband for tea, appearing with him in a hat that was a copy of Miss Lowenthal's.

And you poisoned him.

For good measure, you chose a Viennese tea shop to put the police on the track of somebody who was herself Viennese.

As a matter of fact, that was rather too clever.

Miss Lowenthal never visited that tea shop.

Lady Molly.

I wonder if you can have the first idea of what my marriage was like.

I knew quite well what kind of man Culledon was when I married him.

A cold enemy in business, greedy for a well-connected wife, and obsessed by the power of money.

[ Chuckles ] Well, you met his aunt.

And as for women, he took a collector's interest.

Every street girl must be branded his.

And when he boasted of it to me and I said I should not continue with the marriage, he pointed out that my father had left me very little choice.

He would quite certainly have ruined my family if I disappointed him.

So I waited.

I promised myself that one day we should have his money and be rid of him.

And I almost succeeded, did I not?

For his aunt died believing in her nephew, and I have today become her heir.

If I had not been for you, Lady Molly -- [ Chuckles ] But our tea is getting cold.

Let me give you a little toast.

To the emancipation of women.

Oh, yes.

LADY MOLLY: Lady Irene.

Quick, Mary, go and get Saunders.

He must be outside by now.

We must get a doctor at once!

[ Breathing heavily ] Be sure to tell them that the accused took the law into her own hands.

[ Hooves clopping ] There's one thing I still don't understand.

What is that, my dear?

When everyone else was looking for the woman in the big hat, what made you first think of Lady Irene?

No one else suspected her for a moment.

Well, funnily enough, my dear, it was something you said yourself that put me on the track.

No, thank you.

Not this one.

I'll try the peacock straw.

Something I said?

Yes, it was while we were standing in the hall at Lorbury House.

You complained that you had not the inches to wear a large hat.

I believe I did.

Well, it struck me that if the lady had been tall, the girls would not have felt her hat to be as large as all that.

So I immediately began looking for a small woman.

No, thank you.

None of these will do.

But, my lady, if it was as simple as that, how is it that none of our fellows spotted it?

Well, my dear, for the very simplest reason in the world.

They're men, that's all.

[ Laughs ] Good morning.