Murder at the Vicarage - Agatha Christie [22]
The Colonel had a few words with the Inspector and then we set off for Old Hall. Dr Haydock came with us.
A very correct butler opened the door, with just the right amount of gloom in his bearing.
‘Good morning,’ said Melchett. ‘Will you ask Mrs Protheroe’s maid to tell her we are here and would like to see her, and then return here and answer a few questions.’
The butler hurried away and presently returned with the news that he had despatched the message.
‘Now let’s hear something about yesterday,’ said Colonel Melchett. ‘Your master was in to lunch?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘And in his usual spirits?’
‘As far as I could see, yes, sir.’
‘What happened after that?’
‘After luncheon Mrs Protheroe went to lie down and the Colonel went to his study. Miss Lettice went out to a tennis party in the two-seater. Colonel and Mrs Protheroe had tea at four-thirty, in the drawing-room. The car was ordered for five-thirty to take them to the village. Immediately after they had left Mr Clement rang up’ – he bowed to me – ‘I told him they had started.’
‘H’m,’ said Colonel Melchett. ‘When was Mr Redding last here?’
‘On Tuesday afternoon, sir.’
‘I understand that there was a disagreement between them?’
‘I believe so, sir. The Colonel gave me orders that Mr Redding was not to be admitted in future.’
‘Did you overhear the quarrel at all?’ asked Colonel Melchett bluntly.
‘Colonel Protheroe, sir, had a very loud voice, especially when it was raised in anger. I was unable to help overhearing a few words here and there.’
‘Enough to tell you the cause of the dispute?’
‘I understood, sir, that it had to do with a portrait Mr Redding had been painting – a portrait of Miss Lettice.’
Melchett grunted.
‘Did you see Mr Redding when he left?’
‘Yes, sir, I let him out.’
‘Did he seem angry?’
‘No, sir; if I may say so, he seemed rather amused.’
‘Ah! He didn’t come to the house yesterday?’
‘No, sir.’
‘Anyone else come?’
‘Not yesterday, sir.’
‘Well, the day before?’
‘Mr Dennis Clement came in the afternoon. And Dr Stone was here for some time. And there was a lady in the evening.’
‘A lady?’ Melchett was surprised. ‘Who was she?’
The butler couldn’t remember her name. It was a lady he had not seen before. Yes, she had given her name, and when he told her that the family were at dinner, she had said that she would wait. So he had shown her into the little morning-room.
She had asked for Colonel Protheroe, not Mrs Protheroe. He had told the Colonel and the Colonel had gone to the morning-room directly dinner was over.
How long had the lady stayed? He thought about half an hour. The Colonel himself had let her out. Ah! Yes, he remembered her name now. The lady had been a Mrs Lestrange.
This was a surprise.
‘Curious,’ said Melchett. ‘Really very curious.’
But we pursued the matter no further, for at that moment a message came that Mrs Protheroe would see us.
Anne was in bed. Her face was pale and her eyes very bright. There was a look on her face that puzzled me – a kind of grim determination. She spoke to me.
‘Thank you for coming so promptly,’ she said. ‘I see you’ve understood what I meant by bringing anyone you liked with you.’ She paused.
‘It’s best to get it over quickly, isn’t it?’ she said. She gave a queer, half-pathetic little smile. ‘I suppose you’re the person I ought to say it to, Colonel Melchett. You see, it was I who killed my husband.’
Colonel Melchett said gently:
‘My dear Mrs Protheroe –’
‘Oh! It’s quite true. I suppose I’ve said it rather bluntly, but I never can go into hysterics over anything. I’ve hated him for a long time, and yesterday I shot him.’
She lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes.
‘That’s all. I suppose you’ll arrest me and take me away. I’ll get up and dress as soon as I can. At the moment I am feeling rather sick.’
‘Are you aware, Mrs Protheroe, that Mr Lawrence Redding has already accused