indeed. That, it annoys me very much.'
With a certain petulance, he pulled the bell and asked that
Mademoiselle Leonie might be sent to him.
His eyes roamed over her appreciatively as she stood
hesitating in the doorway, demure in her black dress with her
neatly-parted black waves of hair and her modestly-dropped
eyelids. He nodded slow approval.
'Come in, Mademoiselle Leonie,' he said. 'Do not be afraid.'
She came in and stood demurely before him.
'Do you know,' said Poirot with a sudden change of tone,
'that I find you very good to look at.'
47
Leonie responded promptly. She flashed him a glance out of
the corner of her eyes and murmured softly:
'Monsieur is very kind.'
'Figure to yourself,' said Poirot. 'I demand of M. Carlile
whether you are or not good-looking and he replies that he does
not know!'
Leonie cocked her chin up contemptuously.
'That image!'
'That describes him very well.'
'I do not believe he has ever looked at a girl in his life, that
one.'
'Probably not. A pity. He has missed a lot. But there are
others in this house who are more appreciative, is it not so?'
'Really, I do not know what monsieur means.'
'Oh, yes, Mademoiselle Leonie, you know very well. A
pretty history that you recount last night about a ghost that you
have seen. As soon as I hear that you are standing there with
your hands to your head, I know very well that there is no
question of ghosts. Ifa girl is frightened she clasps her heart, or
she raises her hands to her mouth to stifle a cry, but if her hands
are on her hair it means something very different. It means that
her hair has been ruffled and that she is hastily getting it into shape
again,t Now then, mademoiselle, let us have the truth. Why did
you scream on the stairs?'
'But monsieur it is true, I saw a tall figure all in white '
'Mademoiselle, do not insult my intelligence. That story, it
may have been good enough for M. Carlile, but it is not good
enough for Hercule Poirot. The truth is that you had just been
kissed, is it not so? And I will make a guess that it was M.
Reggie Carrington who kissed you.'
Leonie twinkled an unabashed eye at him.
'Eh &m,' she demanded, 'after all, what is a kiss?'
'What, indeed?' said Poirot gallantly.
'You see, the young gentleman he .came up behind me and
caught me round the waist - and so naturally he startled me and
I screamed. If I had known - well, then naturally I would not
have screamed.'
48
'Naturally,' agreed Poirot.
'But he came upon me like a cat. Then the study door opened
and out came M. le secrtaire and the young gentleman slipped
away upstairs and there I was looking like a fool. Naturally I
had to say something - especially to -' she broke into French,
'un jeune homme comme fa, tellement conime il faut!'
'So you invent a ghost?'
'Indeed, monsieur, it was all I could think of. A tall figure all
in white, that floated. It is ridiculous but what else could I do?'
'Nothing. So now, all is explained. I had my suspicions from
the first.'
Leonie shot him a provocative glance.
'Monsieur is very clever, and very sympathetic.'
'And since I am not going to make you any embarrassments
over the affair you will do some thing for me in return?'
'Most willingly, monsieur.'
'How much do you know of your mistress's affairs?'
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
'Not very much, monsieur. I have my ideas, of course.'
'And those ideas?'
'Well, it does not escape me that the friends of madame are
always soldiers or sailors or airmen. And then there are other
friends - foreign gentlemen who come to see her very quietly
sometimes. Madame is very handsome, though I do not think
she will be so much longer. The young men, they fred her very
attractive. Sometimes I think, they say too much. But it is only
my idea, that. Madame does not confide in me.'
'What you would have me to understand is that madame
plays a lone hand?'
'That is right, monsieur.'
'In other words, you cannot help me.'
'I fear not, monsieur. I would do if I could.'
'Tell me, your mistress is in a good mood today?
'Decidedly, monsieur.'
'Something has happened to please her?'
'She has been in good spirits ever since she came here.'
'Well, Leonie, you should know.'
49
The girl answered confidently:
'Yes, monsieur. I could-not be mistaken there. I know all
madame's moods. She is in high spirits.'
'Positively triumphant?'
'That is exactly the word, monsieur.'
Poirot nodded gloomily.
'I pounds d that - a little hard to bear. Yet I perceive that it is
inevitable. Thank you, mademoiselle, that is all.'
Leonie threw him a coquettish glance.
'Thank you, monsieur. If I meet monsieur on the stairs, be
well assured that I shall not scream.'
'My child,' said Poirot with dignity. 'I am of advanced years.
What have I to do with such frivolities?'
But with a little twitter of laughter, Loonie took herself off.
Poirot paced slowly up and down the room. His face became
grave and anxious.
'And now,' he said at last, 'for Lady Julia. What will she say,
I wonder?'
Lady Julia came into the room with a quiet air of assurance.
She bent her head graciously, accepted the chair that Poirot
drew forward and spoke in a low, well-bred voice.
'Lord Mayfield says that you wish to ask me some
questions.'
'Yes, madame. It is about last night.'
'About last night, yes?'.
'What happened after you had finished your game of
bridge?'
'My husband thought it was too late to begin another. I went
up to bed.'
'And then?'
'I went to sleep.'
'That is all?'
'Yes. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything of much interest.
When did this' - she hesitated - 'burglary occur?'
'Very soon after you went upstairs.'
'I see. And what exactly was taken?'
'Some private papers, madame.'
50
'Important papers?'
'Very important.'
She frowned a little and then said:
'They were - valuable?'
'Yes, madame, they were worth a good deal of money.'
'I see.'
There was a pause, and then Poirot said:
'What about your book, madame?'
'My book?' She raised bewildered eyes to him.
'Yes, I understand Mrs Vanderlyn to say that some time
after you three ladies had retired you went down again to fetch
a book.'
'Yes, of course, so I did.'
'So that, as a matter of fact, you did not go straight to bed
when you went upstairs? You returned to the drawing-room?'
'Yes, that is true. I had forgotten.'
'While you were in the dra
wing-room, did you hear someone
scream?'
'No - yes - I don't think so.'
'Surely, madame. You could not have failed to hear it in the
drawing-room.'
Lady Julia flung her head back and said £uxnly:
'I heard nothing.'
Poirot raised his eyebrows, but did not reply.
The silence grew uncomfortable. Lady Julia asked abruptly:
'What is being done?'
'Being done? I do not understand you, madame.'
'I mean about the robbery. Surely the police must be doing
something.'
Poirot shook his head.
'The police have not been called in. I am in charge.'
She stared at him, her restless haggard face sharpened and
tense. Her eyes, dark and searching, sought to pierce his
impassivity.
They fell at last - defeated.
'You cannot tell me what is being done?'
51
'I can only assure you, madame, that I am leaving no stone
unturned.'
'To catch the thief- or to - recover the papers?'
'The recovery of the papers is the main thing, madame.'
Her manner changed. It became bored, listless.
'Yes,' she said indifferently. 'I suppose it is.'
There was another pause.
'Is there anything else, M. Poirot?'
'No, madame. I will not detain you further.'
'Thank you.'
He opened the door for her. She passed out without glancing
at him.
Poirot went back to the fireplace and carefully rearnmged
the ornaments on the mantelpiece. He was still at it when Lord
Mayfield came in through the window.
'Well?' said the latter.
'Very well, I think. Events are shaping themselves as they
should.'
Lord Mayfield said, staring at him:
'You are pleased.'
'No, I am not pleased. But I am content.'
'Really, M. Poirot, I cannot make you out.'
'I am not such a charlatan as you think.'
'I never said '
'No, but you thought! No matter. I am not offended. It is
sometimes necessary for me to adopt a certain pose.'
Lord Mayfield looked at him doubtfully with a certain
amount of distrust. Hercule Poirot was a man he did not
understand. He wanted to despise him, but something warned
him that this ridiculous little man was not so futile as he
appeared. Charles McLaughlin had always been able to
recognize capability when he saw it.
'Well,' he said, 'we are in your hands. What do you advise
next?'
'Can you get rid of your guests?'
'I think it might be arranged... I could explain that I have
52
to go to London over this affair. They will then probably offer to leave.'
'Very good. Try and arrange it like that.'
Lord Mayfield hesitated.
'You don't think ?'
'I am quite sure that that would be the wise course to take.'
Lord Mayfield shrugged his shoulders.
'Well, if you say so.'
He went out.
CHAPTER 8
The guests left after lunch. Mrs Vanderlyn and Mrs Macatta
went by train, the Carringtons had their car. Poirot was
standing in the hall as Mrs Vanderlyn bade her host a charming
farewell.
'So terribly sorry for you having this bother and anxiety. I do
I
hope it will mm out all fight for you. I shan't breathe a word
of anything.'
.7 She pressed his hand mad went out to where the Rolls was
waiting to take her to the station. Mrs Macatta was already
inside. Her adieu had been curt and unsympathetic.
Suddenly Leonie, who had been getting in front with the
chauffeur, came running back into the hall.
'The dressing-case of madame, it is not in the car,' she
exclaimed.
There was a hurried search. At last Lord Mayfield discovered
it where it had been put down in the shadow of an old oak
chest. Leonie uttered a glad little cry as she seized the elegant
affair of green morocco, and hurried out with it.
Then Mrs Vanderlyn leaned out of the cst.
'Lord Mayfield, Lord Mayfield.' She handed him a letter.
'Would you mind putting this in your post-bag? If I keep it
meaning to post it in town, I'm sure to forget. Letters just stay
in my bag for days.'
Sir George Carrington was fidgeting with his watch,
opening and shutting it. He was a maniac for punctuality.
'They're cutting it frae,' he murmured. 'Very fme. Unless
they're careful, they'H miss the train '
His wife said irritably:
'Oh, don't fuss, George. After all, it's their train, not ours!'
He looked at her reproachfully.
The Rolls drove off.
Reggie drew up at the front door in the Carringtons' Morris.
'All ready, Father,' he said.
The servants began bringing out the Carringtons' luggage.
Reggie supervised its disposal in the dickey.
Poirot moved out of the front door, watching the
proceedings.
Suddenly he felt a hand on his arm. Lady Julia's voice spoke
in an agitated whisper.
'M. Poirot. I must speak to you - at once.'
He yielded to her insistent hand. She drew him into a small
morning-room and closed the door. She came close to him.
'Is it true what you said - that the discovery of the papers is
what matters most to Lord Ma3rfield?'
Poirot looked at her curiously.
'It is quite true, madame.'
'If- if those papers were returned to you, would you
undertake that they should be given back to Lord Mayfield,
and no questions asked?'
'I am not sure that I understand you.'
'You must! I am sure that you do! I am suggesting that the - the thief should remain anonymous if the papers are
returned.'
Poirot asked:
'How soon would that be, madame?'
'Definitely within twelve hours.'
'You can promise that?'
'I can promise it.'
54
As he did not answer, she repeated urgently:
'Will you guarantee that there will be no publicity?'
He answered then - very gravely:
'Yes, madame, I will guarantee that.'
'Then everything can be arranged.'
She passed abruptly from the room. A moment later Poirot
heard the car drive away.
He crossed the hall and went along the passage to the study.
Lord Mayfield was there. He looked up as Poirot entered.
::' 'Well?' he said.
: Poirot spread out his hands.
::
'The case is ended, Lord Mayfield.'
'What?'
Poirot repeated word for word the scene between himself
and Lady Julia.
Lord Mayfield looked at him with a stupefied expression.
'But what does it mean? I don't understand.'
'It is very clear, is it not? Lady Julia knows who stole the
plans.'
i 'You don't mean she took them herself?.'
'Certainly not. Lady Julia may be a gambler. She is not a
thief. But if she offers to return the plans, it means that they
were taken by her husband or her son. Now Sir George
Carrington was out on the te
rrace with you. That leaves us the
son. I think I can reconstruct the happenings of last night fairly
accurately. Lady Julia went to her son's room last night and
found it empty. She came downstairs to look for him, but did
not find him. This morning she hears of the theft, and she also
hears that her son declares that he went straight to his room and
never left it. That, she knows, is not true. And she knows
something else about her son. She knows that he is weak, that
he is desperately hard-up for money. She has observed his
infatuation for Mrs Vanderlyn. The whole thing is clear to her.
Mrs Vanderlyn has persuaded Reggie to steal the plans. But
she determines to play her part also. She will tackle Reggie, get
hold of the papers and return them.'
55
'But the whole thing is quite impossible,' cried Lord
Mayfield.
'Yes, it is impossible, but Lady Julia does not know that. She
does not know what I, Hercule Poirot, know, that ycng
Reggie Carrington was not stealing papers last night, hut
instead was philandering with Mrs Vanderlyn's French rwid.'
'The whole thing is a mare's nest!'
'Exactly.'
'And the case is not ended at all!'
'Yes, it is ended. I, Hercule Poirot, know the truth. You do ;ot
believe me? You did not believe me yesterday when I said I
knew where the plans were. But I did know. They were very
close at hand.'
AgathaChristie-HerculePoirotsCasebook Page 6
