After the Funeral - Agatha Christie [97]
“I received a very amiable letter from Mr. Timothy Abernethie,” he said. “He expressed himself as highly satisfied with the services I had rendered the family.”
“I do think Uncle Timothy is quite awful,” said Rosamund.
“I am going to stay with them next week,” said Helen. “They seem to be getting the gardens into order, but domestic help is still difficult.”
“They miss the awful Gilchrist, I suppose,” said Rosamund. “But I dare say in the end, she’d have killed Uncle Timothy too. What fun if she had!”
“Murder has always seemed fun to you, Madame.”
“Oh! not really,” said Rosamund vaguely. “But I did think it was George.” She brightened up. “Perhaps he will do one some day.”
“And that will be fun,” said Poirot sarcastically.
“Yes, won’t it?” Rosamund agreed.
She ate another éclair from the plate in front of her.
Poirot turned to Helen.
“And you, Madame, are off to Cyprus?”
“Yes, in a fortnight’s time.”
“Then let me wish you a happy journey.”
He bowed over her hand. She came with him to the door, leaving Rosamund dreamily stuffing herself with cream pastries.
Helen said abruptly:
“I should like you to know, M. Poirot, that the legacy Richard left me meant more to me than theirs did to any of the others.”
“As much as that, Madame?”
“Yes. You see—there is a child in Cyprus… My husband and I were very devoted—it was a great sorrow to us to have no children. After he died my loneliness was unbelievable. When I was nursing in London at the end of the war, I met someone… He was younger than I was and married, though not very happily. We came together for a little while. That was all. He went back to Canada—to his wife and his children. He never knew about—our child. He would not have wanted it. I did. It seemed like a miracle to me—a middle-aged woman with everything behind her. With Richard’s money I can educate my so-called nephew, and give him a start in life.” She paused, then added, “I never told Richard. He was fond of me and I of him—but he would not have understood. You know so much about us all that I thought I would like you to know this about me.”
Once again Poirot bowed over her hand.
He got home to find the armchair on the left of the fireplace occupied.
“Hallo, Poirot,” said Mr. Entwhistle. “I’ve just come back from the Assizes. They brought in a verdict of Guilty, of course. But I shouldn’t be surprised if she ends up in Broadmoor. She’s gone definitely over the edge since she’s been in prison. Quite happy, you know, and most gracious. She spends most her time making the most elaborate plans to run a chain of tea shops. Her newest establishment is to be the Lilac Bush. She’s opening it in Cromer.”
“One wonders if she was always a little mad? But me, I think not.”
“Good Lord, no! Sane as you and I when she planned that murder. Carried it out in cold blood. She’s got a good head on her, you know, underneath the fluffy manner.”
Poirot gave a little shiver.
“I am thinking,” he said, “of some words that Susan Banks said—that she had never imagined a ladylike murderer.”
“Why not?” said Mr. Entwhistle. “It takes all sorts.”
They were silent—and Poirot thought of murderers he had known….
* * *
The Agatha Christie Collection
THE HERCULE POIROT MYSTERIES
Match your wits with the famous Belgian detective.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
The Murder on the Links
Poirot Investigates
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
The Big Four
The Mystery of the Blue Train
Peril at End House
Lord Edgware Dies
Murder on the Orient Express
Three Act Tragedy
Death in the Clouds
The A.B.C. Murders
Murder in Mesopotamia
Cards on the Table
Murder in the Mews
Dumb Witness
Death on the Nile
Appointment with Death
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
Sad Cypress
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Evil Under the Sun
Five Little Pigs
The Hollow
The Labors of Hercules
Taken at the Flood
The Underdog and Other Stories
Mrs. McGinty’s Dead
After the Funeral
Hickory Dickory Dock
Dead Man’s Folly
Cat Among the Pigeons
The Clocks
Third Girl
Hallowe’en Party
Elephants Can Remember