It's great that readers are starting to send me alternative theories about the case. There are quite a few. I'll start with an idea suggested by both Helen Roberts and Eileen Depledge: did Robert Rayner tell Liz to go home because he was concerned for her safety? Robert had clearly made up the message that their mother wanted her to go home and in the light of what happened to Liz later on that evening, it seems likely his motive for it went beyond that of a joke. Helen and Eileen point out he may have felt concerned her reputation might suffer further damage, or perhaps he had seen the three apprentices hanging around in the street. He may have picked up on a certain atmosphere that made him uneasy. This is certainly a credible idea. My only criticism of it is that if he had been truly concerned, wouldn't he have escorted her home? And later, at the inquest, wouldn't he have mentioned his concerns? Robert's silence seems to suggest quite strongly to me that Thomas Ramsden and the apprentices had something on him that prevented him speaking out.
I'll be adding other theories later...
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