After The Funeral Part 33

He went now to fetch his overcoat and a couple of scarves,

and thus padded against the North Country air he went out

on the terrace and joined Helen Abernethie, who was clipping

some late roses.

"Have you found out anything fresh ?" she asked.

"Nothing. But I hardly expected to do so."

"I know. Ever since Mr. Entwhistle told me you were

coming, I've been ferreting round, but there's really been

nothing."

She paused and said hopefully:

"Perhaps it is all a mare's nest ?"

"To be attacked with a hatchet ?"

"I wasn't thinking of Cora."

"But it is of Cora that I think. Why was it necessary for

someone to kill her ? Mr. Entwhistle has told me that on that

day, at the moment that she came out suddenly with her gaff'z,,, you yourself felt that something was wrong.

That is

so?

"Wellwyes, but I don't know "

Poirot swept on.

"How ' wrong' ? Unexpectecl ? Surprising ? Or--what shall we say--uneasy ? Sinister ?"

"Oh no, not sinister. Just SOmething that wasn't---oh, I don't know. I can't remember and it WaSl,'t important."

"But why cannot you remember--because something else put, it out of your head--so, mething more important ?"

Yes--yes--I think you re right there. It was themention of murder, I suppose. That swelt away everything else."

"It was, perhaps, the reaction of some particular person to the word ' murder' ?" "Perhaps... But I don't renaember looking at anyone in particular. We were all staring at Cora."

"It may have been something you heard--something dropped perhaps.., or broken. , ."

Helen frowned in an effort of remembrance.

"No... Idon'tthinkso..."

"Ah well, someday it will con'se back. And it may be of no consequence. Now tell me, Madame, of those here, who knew Cora best ?"

Helen considered.

"Lans...o...b.., I suppose. He remembers her from a child.

The housemaid, Janet, only cam after she had married and gone away."

"And next to Lans...o...b.. ?"

Helen said thoughtfully: "I suppose--/ did. Maude hardly knew her at all."

"Then, taking you as the person who knew her best, why do you think she asked that queation as stxe did ?"

Helen smiled.

"It was very characteristic of Coral"

"What I mean is, was it a btise pure and simple ? Did she just blurt out what was in her rrtind without thinking ? Or was she being malicious--amusing herself by upsetting everyone ?"

Helen reflected. "You can't ever be quite sure about a person, can you ?

I never have known whether Cra was just ingenuous--or whether she counted, childishly, an making an effect. That's what you mean, isn't it ?"

"Yes. I was thinking: Suplhose this Mrs. Cora says to herself' What fun it would be to ask if Richard was murdered and see how they all look I ' That would be like her, yes ?"

Helen looked doubtful.

"It might be. She certainly had an impish sense of humour as a child. But what difference does it make ?"

"It would underline the point that it is unwise to make jokes about murder," said Poirot dryly.

Helen s.h.i.+vered. "Poor Cora."

Poirot changed the subject.

"Mrs. Timothy Abernethie stayed the night after the funeral ?"

"Yes."

"Did she talk to you at all about what Cora had said ?"

"Yes, she said it was outrageous and just like Cora I"

"She didn't take it seriously ?" "Oh, no. No, I'm sure she didn't."

The second "no," Poirot thought, had sounded suddenly doubtful. But was not that almost always the case when you went back over something in your mind ?

"And you, Madame, did you take it seriously ?" Helen Abernethie, her eyes looking very blue and strangely young under the sideways sweep of crisp grey hair, said thoughtfully: "Yes, M. Poirot, I think I did."

"Because of your feeling that something was wrong ?"

"Perhaps."

He waited--but as she said nothing more, he went on: "There had been an estrangement, lasting many years, between Mrs. Lansquenet and her family ?"

"Yes. None of us liked her husband and she was offended about it, and so the estrangement grew."

"And then, suddenly, your brother-in-law went to see her. W,,y ?" , I don t know--I suppose he knew, or guessed, that he hadn't very long to live and wanted to be reconciled but I really don't know."

"He didn't tell you ?"

"Tell rne ?"

"Yes. You were here, staying with him, just before he went there. He didn't even mention his intention to you ?"

He thought a slight reserve came into her manner.

"He told me that he was going to see his brother Timothy mwhich he did. He never mentioned Cora at all. Shall we go in ? It must be nearly lunchtime."

She walked beside him carrying the flowers she had picked.

As they went in by the side door, Poirot said: "You are sure, quite sure, that during your visit, Mr. Abernethie said nothing to you about any member of the family which might be relevant ?"

A faint resentment in her'manner, Helen said:

"You are speaking like a policeman."

"I was a policeman--once. I have no status--no right to question you. But you want the truth---or so I have been led to believe ?"

They entered the green drawing-room. Helen said with a sigh:

"Richard was disappointed in the younger generation.

Old men usually are. He disparaged them in various ways---'

but there was nothing--nothing, do you understand--that co,u, ld p,o, ssibly suggest a motive for murder."