Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Poirot nodded.

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘that is what I thought. You said just now “Ever since the master was murdered” – but it began before that. It is ever since Mr Harry came home, is it not, that things have altered and seemed unreal?’

The butler said:

‘You’re quite right, sir. It was then. Mr Harry always brought trouble into the house, even in the old days.’

His eyes wandered back to the empty stone base.

‘Who can have taken it, sir?’ he whispered. ‘And why? It’s – it’s like a madhouse.’

Hercule Poirot said:

‘It is not madness I am afraid of. It is sanity! Somebody, Tressilian, is in great danger.’

He turned and re-entered the house.

At that moment Pilar came out from the study. A red spot shone on either cheek. She held her head high and her eyes glittered.

As Poirot came up to her, she suddenly stamped her foot and said: ‘I will not take it.’

Poirot raised his eyebrows. He said:

‘What is it that you will not take, mademoiselle?’

Pilar said:

‘Alfred has just told me that I am to have my mother’s share of the money my grandfather left.’

‘Well?’

‘I could not get it by law, he said. But he and Lydia and the others consider it should be mine. They say it is a matter of justice. And so they will hand it over to me.’

Poirot said again:

‘Well?’

Pilar stamped once more with her foot.

‘Do you not understand? They are giving it to me – giving it to me.’

‘Need that hurt your pride? Since what they say is true – that it should in justice be yours?’

Pilar said:

‘You do not understand…’

Poirot said:

‘On the contrary – I understand very well.’

‘Oh!…’ She turned away pettishly.

There was a ring at the bell. Poirot glanced over his shoulder. He saw the silhouette of Superintendent Sugden outside the door. He said hurriedly to Pilar:

‘Where are you going?’

She said sulkily:

‘To the drawing-room. To the others.’

Poirot said quickly:

‘Good. Stay with them there. Do not wander about the house alone, especially after dark. Be on your guard. You are in great danger, mademoiselle. You will never be in greater danger than you are today.’

He turned away from her and went to meet Sugden.

The latter waited till Tressilian had gone back into his pantry.

Then he shoved a cable form under Poirot’s nose.

‘Now we’ve got it!’ he said. ‘Read that. It’s from the South African Police.’

The cable said:

‘Ebenezer Farr’s only son died two years ago.’

Sugden said:

‘So now we know! Funny – I was on a different tack altogether…’

Pilar marched into the drawing-room, her head held high.

She went straight up to Lydia, who was sitting in the window with some knitting.

Pilar said:

‘Lydia, I have come to tell you that I will not take that money. I am going away – at once…’

Lydia looked astonished. She laid down her knitting. She said:

‘My dear child, Alfred must have explained very badly! It is not in the least a matter of charity, if that is what you feel. Really, it is not a question of kindness or generosity on our part. It is a plain matter of right and wrong. In the ordinary course of events your mother would have inherited this money, and you would have come into it from her. It is your right – your blood right. It is a matter, not of charity, but of justice!’

Pilar said fiercely:

‘And that is why I cannot do it – not when you speak like that – not when you are like that! I enjoyed coming here. It was fun! It was an adventure, but now you have spoilt it all! I am going away now, at once – you will never be bothered by me again…’

Tears choked her voice. She turned and ran blindly out of the room.

Lydia stared. She said helplessly:

‘I’d no idea she would take it like that!’

Hilda said:

‘The child seems quite upset.’

George cleared his throat and said portentously:

‘Er – as I pointed out this morning – the principle involved is wrong. Pilar has the wit to see that for herself. She refuses to accept charity–’

Lydia said sharply:

‘It is not charity. It is her right!’

George said:

‘She does not seem to think so!’

Superintendent Sugden and Hercule Poirot came in. The former looked round and asked:

‘Where’s Mr Farr? I want a word with him.’

Before anyone had time to answer, Hercule Poirot said sharply:

‘Where is the senorita Estravados?’

George Lee said with a trace of malicious satisfaction:

‘Going to clear out, so she says. Apparently she has had enough of her English relations.’

Poirot wheeled round.

He said to Sugden:

‘Come!’

As the two men emerged into the hall, there was the sound of a heavy crash and a far-away shriek.

Poirot cried:

‘Quick… Come…’

They raced along the hall and up the far staircase. The door of Pilar’s room was open and a man stood in the doorway. He turned his head as they ran up. It was Stephen Farr.

He said:

‘She’s alive…’

Pilar stood crouched against the wall of her room. She was staring at the floor where a big stone cannon ball was lying.

She said breathlessly:

‘It was on top of my door, balanced there. It would have crashed down on my head when I came in, but my skirt caught on a nail and jerked me back just as I was coming in.’

Poirot knelt down and examined the nail. On it was a thread of purple tweed. He looked up and nodded gravely.

‘That nail, mademoiselle,’ he said, ‘saved your life.’

The superintendent said, bewildered:

‘Look here, what’s the meaning of all this?’

Pilar said:

‘Someone tried to kill me!’

She nodded her head several times.

Superintendent Sugden glanced up at the door.

‘Booby trap,’ he said. ‘An old-fashioned booby trap – and its purpose was murder! That’s the second murder planned in this house. But this time it didn’t come off!’

Stephen Farr said huskily:

‘Thank God you’re safe.’

Pilar flung out her hands in a wide, appealing gesture.

‘Madre de Dios,’ she cried. ‘Why should anyone wish to kill me? What have I done?’

Hercule Poirot said slowly:

‘You should rather ask, mademoiselle, what do I know?’

She stared.

‘Know? I do not know anything.’

Hercule Poirot said:

‘That is where you are wrong. Tell me, Mademoiselle Pilar, where were you at the time of the murder? You were not in this room.’

‘I was. I have told you so!’

Superintendent Sugden said with deceptive mildness:

‘Yes, but you weren’t speaking the truth when you said that, you know. You told us you heard your grandfather scream – you couldn’t have heard that if you were in here – Mr Poirot and I tested that yesterday.’

‘Oh!’ Pilar caught her breath.

Poirot said:

‘You were somewhere very much nearer his room. I will tell you where I think you were, mademoiselle. You were in the recess with the statues quite close to your grandfather’s door.’

Pilar said, startled:

‘Oh… How did you know?’

Poirot said with a faint smile:

‘Mr Farr saw you there.’

Stephen said sharply:

‘I did not. That’s an absolute lie!’

Poirot said:

‘I ask your pardon, Mr Farr, but you did see her. Remember your impression that there were three statues in that recess, not two. Only one person wore a white dress that night, Mademoiselle Estravados. She was the third white figure you saw. That is so, is it not, mademoiselle?’

Pilar said, after a moment’s hesitation: ‘Yes, it is true.’