Sad cypress - Agatha Christie [67]
‘Not, perhaps, what might be called a passionate affair?’
(Passionate? Oh, Roddy…)
‘Well, no…you see we knew each other so well…’
‘After the death of Mrs Welman was there a slightly strained feeling between you?’
‘Yes, there was.’
‘How did you account for this?’
‘I think it was partly the money.’
‘The money?’
‘Yes. Roderick felt uncomfortable. He thought people might think he was marrying me for that…’
‘The engagement was not broken off on account of Mary Gerrard?’
‘I did think Roderick was rather taken with her, but I didn’t believe it was anything serious.’
‘Would you have been upset if it had been?’
‘Oh, no. I should have thought it rather unsuitable, that is all.’
‘Now, Miss Carlisle. Did you or did you not take a tube of morphine from Nurse Hopkins’ attaché-case on June 28th?’
‘I did not.’
‘Have you at any time had morphine in your possession?’
‘Never.’
‘Were you aware that your aunt had not made a will?’
‘No. It came as a great surprise to me.’
‘Did you think she was trying to convey to you a message on the night of June 28th when she died?’
‘I understood that she had made no provision for Mary Gerrard, and was anxious to do so.’
‘And in order to carry out her wishes, you yourself were prepared to settle a sum of money on the girl?’
‘Yes. I wanted to carry out Aunt Laura’s wishes. And I was grateful for the kindness Mary had shown to my aunt.’
‘On July 26th did you come down from London to Maidensford and stay at the King’s Arms?’
‘Yes.’
‘What was your purpose in coming down?’
‘I had an offer for the house, and the man who had bought it wanted possession as quickly as possible. I had to look through my aunt’s personal things and settle things up generally.’
‘Did you buy various provisions on your way to the Hall on July 27th?’
‘Yes. I thought it would be easier to have a picnic lunch there than to come back to the village.’
‘Did you then go on to the house, and did you sort through your aunt’s personal effects?’
‘I did.’
‘And after that?’
‘I came down to the pantry and cut some sandwiches. I then went down to the Lodge and invited the District Nurse and Mary Gerrard to come up to the house.’
‘Why did you do this?’
‘I wished to save them a hot walk back to the village and back again to the Lodge.’
‘It was, in fact, a natural and kindly action on your part. Did they accept the invitation?’
‘Yes. They walked up to the house with me.’
‘Where were the sandwiches you had cut?’
‘I left them in the pantry on a plate.’
‘Was the window open?’
‘Yes.’
‘Anyone could have got into the pantry while you were absent?’
‘Certainly.’
‘If anybody had observed you from outside while you were cutting the sandwiches, what would they have thought?’
‘I suppose that I was preparing to have a picnic lunch.’
‘They could not know, could they, that anyone was to share the lunch?’
‘No. The idea of inviting the other two only came to me when I saw what a quantity of food I had.’
‘So that if anyone had entered the house during your absence and placed morphine in one of those sandwiches, it would be you they were attempting to poison?’
‘Well, yes, it would.’
‘What happened when you had all arrived back at the house?’
‘We went into the morning-room. I fetched the sandwiches and handed them to the other two.’
‘Did you drink anything with them?’
‘I drank water. There was beer on a table; but Nurse Hopkins and Mary preferred tea. Nurse Hopkins went into the pantry and made it. She brought it in on a tray and Mary poured it out.’
‘Did you have any?’
‘No.’
‘But Mary Gerrard and Nurse Hopkins both drank tea?’
‘Yes.’
‘What happened next?’
‘Nurse Hopkins went and turned the gas-ring off.’
‘Leaving you alone with Mary Gerrard?’
‘Yes.’
‘What happened next?’
‘After a few minutes I picked up the tray and the sandwich plate and carried them into the pantry. Nurse Hopkins was there, and we washed them together.’
‘Did Nurse Hopkins have her cuffs off at the time?’
‘Yes. She was washing the things, while I dried them.’
‘Did you make a certain remark