Hercule Poirot's Casebook

'Pardon? Poirot interposed a quick, deft question. 'It did not

67

occur to you to try and break down the door - with the help of

one of the chauffeurs in the mews, say?'

Her eyes turned to him - cool, grey-green eyes. Her glance

seemed to sweep over him quickly and appraisingly.

'No, I don't think I thought of that. If anything was wrong,

it seemed to me that the police were the people to send for.'

'Then you thought - pardon, mademoiselle -that there was

something wrong?'

'Naturally.'

'Because you could not get a reply to your knocks? But

possibly your friend might have taken a sleeping draught or

something of that kind '

'She didn't take sleeping draughts.'

The reply came sharply.

'Or she might have gone away and locked her door before

going?'

'Why should she lock it? In any case she would have left a

note for me.'

'And she did not - leave a note for you? You are quite sure

of that?'

'Of course I am sure of it. I should have seen it at once.'

The sharpness of her tone was accentuated.

Japp said:

'You didn't try and look through the keyhole, Miss

Plenderleith?'

'No,' said Jane Plenderleith thoughtfully. 'I never thought

of that. But I couldn't have seen anything, could I? Because the

key would have been in it?'

Her inquiring gaze, innocent, wide-eyed, met Japp's. Poirot

smiled suddenly to himself.

'You did quite right, of course, Miss Plenderleith,' said

Japp. 'I suppose you'd no reason to believe that your friend wa

likely to commit suicide?'

'Oh, no.'

'She hadn't seemed worried - or distressed in any way?'

There was a pause - an appreciable pause before the gi!

answered.

68

'Did you know she had a pistol?'

Jane Plenderleith nodded.

'Yes, she had it out in India. She always kept it in a drawer

her room.'

'H'm. Got a licence for it?'

'I imagine so. I don't know for certain.'

'Now, Miss Plenderleith, will you tell me all you can about

Mrs Allen, how long you've known her, where her relations are

in fact.'

Jane Plenderleith nodded.

'I've known Barbara about five years. I met her first

abroad - in Egypt to be exact. She was on her way

home from India. I'd been at the British School in Athens for

a bit and was having a few weeks in Egypt before going home.

were on a Nile cruise together. We made friends, decided

we liked each other. I was looking at the time for someone to

share a flat or a tiny house with me. Barbara was alone in the

world. We thought we'd get on well together.'

'And you did get on well together?' asked Poirot.

'Very well. We each had our own friends - Barbara was more

sodal in her likings - my friends were more of the artistic kind.

It probably worked better that way.'

Poirot nodded. Japp went on:

'What do you know about Mrs Allen's family and her life

before she met you?'

Jane Plenderleith shrugged her shoulders.

'Not very much really. Her maiden name was Armitage, I

I

believe.' '

'Her husband?'

'I don't fancy that he was anything m write home about. He

drank, I think. I gather he died a year or two after the marriage.

There was one child, a little girl, which died when it was three

years old. Barbara didn't talk much about her husband. I

believe she married him in India when she was about

seventeen. Then they went off to Borneo or one of the God69

forsaken spots you send ne'er-do-wells to - but as it was

obviously a painful subject I didn't refer to it.'

'Do you know ffMrs Allen was in any £mancial difficulties?'

'No, I'm sure she wasn't.'

'Not in debt - anything of that kind?'

'Oh, no! I'm sure she wasn't in that kind of a jam.'

'Now there's another question I must ask - and I hope y.a

won't be upset about it, Miss Plenderleith. Had Mrs Allen ay

particular man friend or men friends?'

Jane Plenderleith answered coolly:

'Well, she was engaged to be married if that answers your

question.'

'What is the name of the man she was engaged to?'

'Charles Laverton-West. He's M.P. for some ialace in

Hampshire.'

'Had she known him long?'

'A little over a year.'

'And she has been engaged to him - how long?'

'Two - no - nearer three months.'

'As far as you know there has not been any quarrel?'

Miss Plenderleith shook her head.

'No. I should have been surprised ffthere had been anything

of that sort. Barbara wasn't the quarrelling kind.'

'How long is it since you last saw Mrs Allen?'

'Friday last, just before I went away for the weekend.'

'Mrs Allen was remaining in wwn?'

'Yes. She was going out with her fianc on the Sunday, I

believe.'

'And you yourself, where did you spend the weekend?'

'At Laideils Hall, Laidelis, Essex.'

'And the name of the people with whom you were staying;'

'Mr and Mrs Bentinck.'

'You only left them this morning?'

'Yes.'

'You must have left very early?'

'Mr Bentinck motored me up. He starts early because he ;as

to get to the city by ten.' 70

'I see.'

Japp nodded comprehendingly. Miss Plenderleith's replies

had all been crisp and convincing.

Poirot in his turn put a question.

'What is your own opinion of Mr Laverton-West?'

The girl shrugged her shoulders.

'Does that matter?'

'No, it does not matter, perhaps, but I should like to have

your opinion.'