Sad cypress - Agatha Christie [49]
Mr Seddon showed a faint surprise.
‘As far as I know, none.’
‘Did the late Mrs Welman, at any period of her life, make a will?’
‘Never. She always put it off.’
‘Has Elinor Carlisle made a will?’
‘Yes.’
‘Recently? Since her aunt’s death?’
‘Yes.’
‘To whom has she left her property?’
‘That, M. Poirot, is confidential. I cannot tell you without authorization from my client.’
Poirot said:
‘Then I shall have to interview your client!’
Mr Seddon said with a cold smile:
‘That, I fear, will not be easy.’
Poirot rose and made a gesture.
‘Everything,’ he said, ‘is easy to Hercule Poirot.’
Chapter 8
Chief Inspector Marsden was affable.
‘Well, M. Poirot,’ he said. ‘Come to set me right about one of my cases?’
Poirot murmured deprecatingly:
‘No, no. A little curiosity on my part, that is all.’
‘Only too happy to satisfy it. Which case is it?’
‘Elinor Carlisle.’
‘Oh, yes, girl who poisoned Mary Gerrard. Coming up for trial in two weeks’ time. Interesting case. She did in the old woman too, by the way. Final report isn’t in yet, but it seems there’s no doubt of it. Morphia. Cold-blooded bit of goods. Never turned a hair at the time of her arrest or after. Giving nothing away. But we’ve got the goods on her all right. She’s for it.’
‘You think she did it?’
Marsden, an experienced, kindly looking man, nodded his head affirmatively.
‘Not a doubt of it. Put the stuff in the top sandwich. She’s a cool customer.’
‘You have no doubts? No doubts at all?’
‘Oh, no! I’m quite sure. It’s a pleasant feeling when you are sure! We don’t like making mistakes any more than anyone else would. We’re not just out to get a conviction, as some people think. This time I can go ahead with a clear conscience.’
Poirot said slowly:
‘I see.’
The Scotland Yard man looked at him curiously.
‘Is there anything on the other side?’
Slowly Poirot shook his head.
‘As yet, no. So far everything I have found out about the case points to Elinor Carlisle’s being guilty.’
Inspector Marsden said with cheerful certainty:
‘She’s guilty, all right.’
Poirot said:
‘I should like to see her.’
Inspector Marsden smiled indulgently. He said:
‘Got the present Home Secretary in your pocket, haven’t you? That will be easy enough.’
Chapter 9
Peter Lord said:
‘Well?’
Hercule Poirot said:
‘No, it is not very well.’
Peter Lord said heavily:
‘You haven’t got hold of anything?’
Poirot said slowly:
‘Elinor Carlisle killed Mary Gerrard out of jealousy… Elinor Carlisle killed her aunt so as to inherit her money…Elinor Carlisle killed her aunt out of compassion… My friend, you may make your choice!’
Peter Lord said:
‘You’re talking nonsense!’
Hercule Poirot said:
‘Am I?’
Lord’s freckled face looked angry. He said:
‘What is all this?’
Hercule Poirot said:
‘Do you think it is possible, that?’
‘Do I think what is possible?’
‘That Elinor Carlisle was unable to bear the sight of her aunt’s misery and helped her out of existence.’
‘Nonsense!’
‘Is it nonsense? You have told me yourself that the old lady asked you to help her.’
‘She didn’t mean it seriously. She knew I wouldn’t do anything of the sort.’
‘Still, the idea was in her mind. Elinor Carlisle might have helped her.’
Peter Lord strolled up and down. He said at last:
‘One can’t deny that that sort of thing is possible. But Elinor Carlisle is a level-headed, clear-thinking kind of young woman. I don’t think she’d be so carried away by pity as to lose sight of the risk. And she’d realize exactly what the risk was. She’d be liable to stand accused of murder.’
‘So you don’t think she would do it?’
Peter Lord said slowly:
‘I think a woman might do such a thing for her husband; or for her child; or for her mother, perhaps. I don’t think she’d do it for an aunt, though she might be fond of that aunt. And I think in any case she’d only do it if the person in question was actually suffering unbearable pain.’
Poirot said thoughtfully:
‘Perhaps you are right.’
Then he added:
‘Do you think Roderick Welman’s feelings could