Lord Edgware Dies Page 0,31

think she saw much of him, though. Just once in a while. She told me she thought he'd got very swollen-headed.'

She looked at her watch and uttered an exclamation.

'Goodness, I must fly. Have I helped you at all, M. Poirot?'

'You have. I shall ask you for further help by and by.'

'It's yours. Someone staged this devilry. We've got to find out who it is.'

She gave us a quick shake of the hand, flashed her white teeth in a sudden smile and left us with characteristic abruptness.

'An interesting personality,' said Poirot as he paid the bill.

'I like her,' I said.

'It is always a pleasure to meet a quick mind.'

'A little hard, perhaps,' I reflected. 'The shock of her friend's death did not upset her as much as I should have thought it would have done.'

'She is not the sort that weeps, certainly,' agreed Poirot dryly.

'Did you get what you hoped from the interview?'

He shook his head.

'No - I hoped - very much I hoped - to get a clue to the personality of D, the person who gave her the little gold box. There I have failed. Unfortunately Carlotta Adams was a reserved girl. She was not one to gossip about her friends or her possible love affairs. On the other hand, the person who suggested the hoax may not have been a friend at all. It may have been a mere acquaintance who proposed it - doubtless for some "sporting" reason - on a money basis. This person may have seen the gold box she carried about with her and made some opportunity to discover what it contained.'

'But how on earth did they get her to take it? And when?'

'Well, there was the time during which the flat door was open - when the maid was out posting a letter. Not that that satisfies me. It leaves too much to chance. But now - to work. We have still two possible clues.'

'Which are?'

'The first is the telephone call to a Victoria number. It seems to me quite a probability that Carlotta Adams would ring up on her return to announce her success. On the other hand, where was she between five minutes past ten and midnight? She may have had an appointment with the instigator of the hoax. In that case the telephone call may have been merely one to a friend.'

'What is the second clue?'

'Ah! that I do have hopes of. The letter, Hastings. The letter to her sister. It is possible - I only say possible - that in that she may have described the whole business. She would not regard it as a breach of faith, since the letter would not be read till a week later and in another country at that.'

'Amazing, if that is so!'

'We must not build too much upon it, Hastings. It is a chance, that is all. No, we must work now from the other end.'

'What do you call the other end?'

'A careful study of those who profit in any degree by Lord Edgware's death.'

I shrugged my shoulders.

'Apart from his nephew and his wife - '

'And the man the wife wanted to marry,' added Poirot.

'The Duke? He is in Paris.'

'Quite so. But you cannot deny that he is an interested party. Then there are the people in the house - the butler - the servants. Who knows what grudges they may have had? But I think myself our first point of attack should be a further interview with Mademoiselle Jane Wilkinson. She is shrewd. She may be able to suggest something.'

Once more we made our way to the Savoy. We found the lady surrounded by boxes and tissue paper, whilst exquisite black draperies were strewn over the back of every chair. Jane had a rapt and serious expression and was just trying on yet another small black hat before the glass.

'Why, M. Poirot. Sit down. That is, if there's anything to sit on. Ellis, clear something, will you?'

'Madame. You look charming.'

Jane looked serious.

'I don't want exactly to play the hypocrite, M. Poirot. But one must observe appearances, don't you think? I mean, I think I ought to be careful. Oh! by the way, I've had the sweetest telegram from the Duke.'

'From Paris?'

'Yes, from Paris. Guarded, of course, and supposed to be condolences, but put so that I can read between the lines.'

'My felicitations, Madame.'

'M. Poirot.' She clasped her hands, her husky voice dropped. She looked like an angel about to give vent to thoughts of exquisite holiness. 'I've been thinking. It all