The Mysterious Affair at Styles

ut on the lawn, still nursing a grudge against my friend's high-handedness, I saw Lawrence on the cr

it. It was true that I did not quite gather its purport, but I flattered myself that by Lawrence's reply, and perhap

g for you," I rem

ve

I've got a message f

es

ignificantly, and watching him intently out of the corner of my eye. I have

el

n the dark melancholic face. Had he

oice still lower. "'Find the extra co

" Lawrence stared at me in q

t you

he least.

lled to sha

tra coff

n't k

siness, not mine. I don't know anything about the coffee-cups, except that we've got some that are

ok my

it of old china-it's pure delight t

am I to te

hat he's talking about.

rig

the house again when he

d of that message? Say

rest in peace.' Are you sure you don't kn

ok his

singly, "I don't

went in together. Poirot had been asked by John to r

and other outside topics. But after the cheese and biscuits had been handed roun

have a little idea"-Poirot's "little ideas" were becoming a

? Cert

is: the door leading into Mrs. Inglethorp's room from

ed Mary Cavendish, rather surpri

lte

e looked

, "you are sure it was bol

meaning that it was fastened, and I could not open it, bu

oncerned, the door might eq

, y

dame, when you entered Mrs. Inglethorp's r

lieve i

did not

never l

rence suddenly. "I happened

it." And Poirot

at, for once, one of his "lit

me to accompany him home.

so?" he asked anxiously, a

ll," I sa

at lifts a great

have observed the stiffness of my manner. Still, the fervour of hi

nce your mess

e say? He was e

ure he had no idea

ise, he replied that that was as he had thought, and that

hed off on a

a was not at lunch t

pital again. She r

is like pictures I have seen in Italy. I would rather like to se

delighted. It's an int

go there e

comes back to lunch on Saturday

nowadays, and Mademoiselle Cynthia is cleve

he has passed qui

ery responsible work. I suppose th

a little cupboard. I believe they have to be very carefu

near the window

other side of

ugged his

hat is all. Wi

ached the

back. I shall go round the

breath of wind, the very chirp of the birds was faint and subdued. I strolled on a little way, and finally flung myself down at the foot of a grand old beech

, and it struck me as bei

ned a

matter was that it was Lawrence who had murdered Alfred Inglethorp with a croquet mallet. But it wa

up with

vendish were standing facing each other, and they were evidently quarrelling. And, quite as evidently, they were u

Mary, I won

e came, coo

ight to critici

other was only buried on Saturday, and he

ulders, "if it is only vil

h of the fellow hanging about

ng. It leavens the"-she looked at him-"st

I did not wonder that the blood ro

ar

r tone did

g died out

will continue to see Bauerste

I ch

def

ticize my actions. Have you no fr

e. The colour ebbed

n?" he said, in

don't you, that you have no right to dict

pleadingly, a strick

ry?" he said unsteadily. He st

fter expression came over her face, then

on

John sprang after her, a

uiet now-"are you in love w

ange expression, old as the hills, yet with something eternal

tly from his arm, and

out of the little glade, leaving John standin

branches with my feet as I did so. John turned. Luckily, he

fellow safely back to his cottage? Quaint l

ne of the finest det

be something in it, then. What

d it so?

they won't turn up next. Screaming headlines in every paper in the country-damn all journalists, I say! Do you know there was a whole crowd star

said soothingly. "It

long enough for us never to be

getting morbid

ly journalists and stared at by gaping moon-faced id

ha

wered h

ng sometimes it must have been an accident. Because-because-who could have done it? No

nough for any man! One of us? Yes

reased. Poirot's mysterious doings, his hints-they all fitted in. Fool that I w

"it isn't one of u

still, who e

you g

N

sly round, and l

stein!" I

ossi

at

erest could he have i

fessed, "but I'll tell yo

es he? How

t on hearing that Dr. Bauerstein had bee

down the coffee in the hall? Well, it was just then that Bauerstein arrived. Isn't it possible that,

. "It would have

it was p

was her coffee? No, old fellow

membered som

one. Listen." And I then told him of the coco

pted just as

uerstein had had it

rderer, nothing could be simpler than for him to substitute some ordinary cocoa for his sample, and send that to be tested. And of course they would f

the bitter taste that

re are other possibilities. He's admittedly

d's greatest wha

aps he's found some way of making strychnine tasteless. Or it may not have been strychnine a

"But look here, how could he have got

t," I admitte

John also. I glanced sideways at him. He was frowning perplexedly, and I drew a deep breath of relief, for th

beautiful as Mary Cavendish could be a murderes

poison was a woman's weapon. How agitated she had been on that fatal Tuesday evening! Had Mrs. Inglethorp discovered something b

t and Evelyn Howard. Was this what they had meant? Was this t

all fi

of hers: "Emily herself--" And in my heart I agreed with her. Would not Mrs. Inglethorp have pr

xpected sound of his voice made me start guiltily. "Some

gone away from the subject of how the poiso

m. He needn't have done so. Little Wilkins would hav

Then the Home Office might have ordered exhumation. The whole thing would have come out, then, and he would have been in an awkwa

"Still," he added, "I'm blest if I ca

rem

altogether wrong. And, rememb

e-that goes w

ate into the garden. Voices rose near at hand, for tea was spread o

placed my chair beside her, and told her

t up with him. He's such a dear little man! But he is funny. He made me take the brooch

aug

e a mania

isn'

en, glancing in the direction of Mary Cave

Hasti

es

I want to

to wonder about the girl's future. Mrs. Inglethorp had made no provisions of any kind for her, but I imagined that John and Mary would probably i

ow reappeared. His good-natured face

the house-turning things inside out, and upside down. It really is too bad! I suppose they

Prys," grunte

they had to make a sh

ndish sai

come for a walk, and we saunte

as we were protected from pr

off her hat. The sunlight, piercing through the bran

always so kind, and

eally a very charming girl! Much more charming

benignantly, a

your advice. Wh

D

e forgot, or didn't think she was likely to die-anyway, I am not provided for!

ey don't want to part

the grass with her tiny hands. Then she

" I cried,

ia no

but she can't bear me;

I said warmly. "On the contra

at I care whether Lawrence hates me or not. Still,

arnestly. "I'm sure you are mistaken.

a fly. But Lawrence never speaks to me if he can help it, and Mary can hardly bring herself to be civil to me. She wants Evie to

perhaps the sense of relief at encountering someone who so obviously could have no connection with the tragedy; perh

me, C

edy for her tears. She sat up at once, drew

t be

little

asking you to do me the h

thia burst out laughing, an

you," she said, "but yo

do. I'

got. You don't really wa

stiffly. "But I don't see anything to laugh

y might accept you next time. Good-b

able burst of merriment, she

ew, it struck me as being

he same time, it would be wise to allay any suspicions he might have as to his being suspected. I remembered how Poirot had relied on my diplom

an came an

said pleasantly. "Is

tared

't you

rd w

ut h

abou

s to

k? D

k by the

asped. "Do you mean

hat's i

ore, but tore up the