Part 11 (1/2)
A spot of colour came into Miss Lawson's face.
”I think Theresa has quite as much money as is good for her!” she said sharply. ”She spends hundreds of pounds on her clothes alone. And her underclothing--it's wicked!
When one thinks of so many nice, well-bred girls who have to earn their own living--” Poirot gently completed the sentence.
”You think it would do no harm for her to earn hers for a bit?” Miss Lawson looked at him solemnly.
”It might do her a lot of good,” she said.”It might bring her to her senses. Adversity teaches us many things.” Poirot nodded slowly. He was watching her intently.
”And Charles?” ”Charles doesn't deserve a penny,” said Miss Lawson sharply. ”If Miss Arundell cut him out of her will, it was for a very good cause--after his wicked threats.” ”Threats?”
Poirot's eyebrows rose.
”Yes, threats.” ”What threats? When did he threaten her?” ”Let me see, it was--yes, of course, it was at Easter. Actually on Easter Sunday--which made it even worse!” ”What did he say?” ”He asked her for money and she'd refused to give it him' And then he told her that it wasn't wise of her. He said if she kept up that att.i.tude he would--now what was the phrase--a very vulgar American one-- oh, yes, he said he would b.u.mp her off” ”He threatened to b.u.mp her off?” ”Yes.”
”And what did Miss Arundell say?” ”She said: ”Quite, quite,” said Poirot hastily. ”And Charles, what did he say to that?” ”He said: 'Don't be too sure.' ” Poirot said slowly: ”Did Miss Arundell take this threat seriously?”
”Well, I don't know.... She didn't say anything to me about it.... But then she wouldn't do that, anyway.” Poirot said quietly: ”You knew, of course, that Miss Arundell was making a new will?”
”No, no. I've told you, it was a complete surprise. I never dreamt--” Poirot interrupted.
”You did not know the contents. But you knew the fact--that there was a will being made?”
”Well--I suspected--I mean her sending for the lawyer when she was laid up--” ”Exactly. That was after she had a fall, was it not?” ”Yes, Bob--Bob was the dog--he had left his ball at the top of the stairs--and she tripped over it and fell.” ”A nasty accident.” ”Oh, yes; why, she might easily have broken her leg or her arm. The doctor said so.” ”She might quite easily have been killed.” ”Yes, indeed.” Her answer seemed quite natural and frank.
Poirot said, smiling: ”I think I saw Master Bob at Littlegreen House.” ”Oh, yes, I expect you did.
He's a dear little doggie.” Nothing annoys me more than to hear a sporting terrier called a dear little doggie.
No wonder, I thought, that Bob despised Miss Lawson and refused to do anything she told him.
”And he is very intelligent?” went on Poirot.
”Oh, yes, very.” ”How upset he'd be if he knew he had nearly killed his mistress.” Miss Lawson did not answer. She merely shook her head and sighed.
Poirot asked:
”Do you think it possible that that fall & influenced Miss Arundell to remake her will?” We were getting perilously near the bone here, I thought, but Miss Lawson seemed to find the question quite natural.
”You know,” she said, ”I shouldn't wonder if you weren't right. It gave her a shock--I'm sure of that. Old people never like to think there's any chance of their dying. But an accident like that makes one think. Or perhaps she might have had a premonition that her death wasn't far off.”
Poirot said casually: ”She was in fairly good health, was she not?” ”Oh, yes. Very well, indeed.”
”Her illness must have come on very suddenly?”
”Oh, it did. It was quite a shock. We had had some friends that evening--” Miss Lawson paused.
”Your friends, the Misses Tripp. I have met those ladies. They are quite charming.” Miss Lawson'sface flushed with pleasure.
”Yes, aren't they? Such cultured women!
Such wide interests! And so very spiritual! They told you, perhaps--about our sittings? I expect you are a sceptic--but indeed, I wish I could tell you the inexpressible joy of getting into touch with those who pa.s.sed over!” ”I am sure of it. I am sure of it.” ”Do you know, M. Poirot, my mother has spoken to me--more than once. It is such a joy to know that one's dear ones are still thinking of one and watching over one.” ”Yes, yes, I can well understand that,” said Poirot gently. ”And was Miss Arundell also a believer?” Miss Lawson's face clouded over a little.
”She was willing to be convinced,” she said doubtfully. ”But I do not think she always approached the matter in the right frame of mind. She was sceptical and unbelieving--and once or twice her att.i.tude attracted a most undesirable type of spirit!
There were some very ribald messages--all due, I am convinced, to Miss Arundell's att.i.tude.”
”I should think very likely due to Miss Arundell,” agreed Poirot.
”But on that last evening--” continued Miss Lawson, ”perhaps Isabel and Julia told you?--there were distinct phenomena. Actually the beginning of a materialization.
Ectoplasm--you know what ectoplasm is,
perhaps?” ”Yes, I am acquainted with its nature.”
”It proceeds, you know, from the medium's mouth in the form of a ribbon and builds itself up into a form. Now I am convinced, Mr. Poirot, that unknown to herself Miss Arundell was a medium.
On that evening I distinctly saw a luminous ribbon issuing from dear Miss ArundelFs mouth! Then her head became enveloped in a luminous mist.” ”Most interesting!” ”And then, unfortunately.
Miss Arundell was suddenly taken ill and we had to break up the seance.” ”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 p.r.o.nounced 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 week-end, 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 week-end, was he?” ”Yes, he came down on the Sunday.
He only stayed about an hour.” ”Every one seems to have been after poor Miss Arundell'smoney,” 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 week-end 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. / 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. Pur vis.” ”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 fl.u.s.tered.
”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 some one 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.