Hercule Poirot's Casebook

'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

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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.'

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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 terrace 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