Agatha Christie - [Hercule Poirot] by Braven

Author:Braven [Braven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"Most interesting!"

"And then, unfortunately, Miss Arundell was suddenly taken ill and we had to break up the séance."

"You sent for the doctor—when?"

"First thing the following morning."

"Did he think the matter grave?"

"Well, he sent in a hospital nurse the following evening but I think he hoped she would pull through."

"The—excuse me—the relatives were not sent for?"

Miss Lawson flushed. "They were notified as soon as possible—that is to say, when Dr. Grainger pronounced her to be in danger."

"What was the cause of the attack? Something she had eaten?"

"No, I don't think there was anything in particular. Dr. Grainger said she hadn't been quite as careful in diet as she should have been. I think he thought the attack was probably brought on by a chill. The weather had been very treacherous."

"Theresa and Charles Arundell had been down that weekend, had they not?"

Miss Lawson pursed her lips together. "They had."

"The visit was not a success," Poirot suggested, watching her.

"It was not." She added quite spitefully: "Miss Arundell knew what they'd come for!"

"Which was?" asked Poirot, watching her.

"Money!" snapped Miss Lawson. "And they didn't get it."

"No?" said Poirot.

"And I believe that's what Dr. Tanios was after too," she went on.

"Dr. Tanios. He was not down that same weekend, was he?"

"Yes, he came down on the Sunday. He only stayed about an hour."

"Everyone seems to have been after poor Miss Arundell's money," hazarded Poirot.

"I know, it is not very nice to think of, is it?"

"No, indeed," said Poirot. "It must have been a shock to Charles and Theresa Arundell that weekend when they learned that Miss Arundell had definitely disinherited them!"

Miss Lawson stared at him.

Poirot said: "Is that not so? Did she not specifically inform them of the fact?"

"As to that, I couldn't say. I didn't hear anything about it! There wasn't any fuss, or anything, as far as I know. Both Charles and his sister seemed to go away quite cheerful."

"Ah! possibly I have been misinformed. Miss Arundell actually kept her will in the house, did she not?"

Miss Lawson dropped her pince-nez and stooped to pick them up. "I really couldn't say. No, I think it was with Mr. Purvis."

"Who was the executor?"

"Mr. Purvis was."

"After the death, did he come over and look through her papers?"

"Yes, he did."

Poirot looked at her keenly and asked her an unexpected question. "Do you like Mr. Purvis?"

Miss Lawson was flustered. "Like Mr. Purvis? Well, really, that's difficult to say, isn't it? I mean, I'm sure he's a very clever man—that is, a clever lawyer, I mean. But rather a brusque manner! I mean, it's not very pleasant always to have someone speaking to you as though—well, really, I can't explain what I mean—he was quite civil and yet at the same time almost rude, if you know what I mean."

"A difficult situation for you," said Poirot sympathetically.

"Yes, indeed, it was."

Miss Lawson sighed and shook her head. Poirot rose to his feet. "Thank you very much, mademoiselle, for all your kindness and help."

Miss Lawson rose too. She sounded slightly flustered.

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