XII
David Lee had himself well in hand. His demeanour was calm—almost unnaturally so. He came
up to them, drew a chair forward and sat down, looking with grave interrogation at Colonel
Johnson.
The electric light touched the fair peak of hair that grew on his forehead and showed up the
sensitive modelling of the cheek bones. He looked absurdly young to be the son of that shrivelled
old man who lay dead upstairs.
Yes, gentlemen,” he said, “what can I tell you
Colonel Johnson said
I understand, Mr. Lee, that there was a kind of family meeting held in your father’s room
this afternoon
There was. But it was quite informal. I mean, it was not a family council or anything of that
kind.
What took place there
David Lee answered calmly
My father was in a difficult mood. He was an old man and an invalid, of course, one had to
make allowances for him. He seemed to have assembled us there in order to—well—vent his spite
upon us.
Can you remember what he said
David said quietly
It was really all rather foolish. He said we were no use—any of us—that there wasn’t a
single man in the family! He said Pilar (that is my Spanish niece) was worth two of any of us. He
said—” David stopped.
Poirot said
Please, Mr. Lee, the exact words, if you can.
David said reluctantly
He spoke rather coarsely—said he hoped that somewhere in the world he had better sons
even if they were born the wrong side of the blanket. . . .
His sensitive face showed distaste for the words he was repeating. Superintendent Sugden
looked up, suddenly alert. Leaning forward, he said
Did your father say anything in particular to your brother, Mr. George Lee
To George? I don’t remember. Oh, yes, I believe he told him he would have to cut down
expenses in future; he’d have to reduce his allowance. George was very upset, got as red as a
turkey cock. He spluttered and said he couldn’t possibly manage with less. My father said quite
coolly that he’d have to. He said he’d better get his wife to help him economize. Rather a nasty
dig, that — George has always been the economical one — saves and stints on every penny.
Magdalene, I fancy, is a bit of a spender—she has extravagant tastes.
Poirot said
So that she, too, was annoyed
Yes. Besides, my father worded something else rather crudely—mentioned her as having
lived with a naval officer. Of course he really meant her father, but it sounded rather dubious.
Magdalene went scarlet. I don’t blame her.
Poirot said
Did your father mention his late wife, your mother
The red blood ran in waves up David’s temples. His hands clenched themselves on the table
in front of him, trembling slightly.
He said in a low choked voice
Yes, he did. He insulted her.
Colonel Johnson said
What did he say
David said abruptly
I don’t remember. Just some slighting reference.
Poirot said softly
Your mother has been dead some years
David said shortly
She died when I was a boy.
She was not—perhaps—very happy in her life here
David gave a scornful laugh
Who could be happy with a man like my father? My mother was a saint. She died a
brokenhearted woman.
Poirot went on
Your father was, perhaps, distressed by her death
David said abruptly
I don’t know. I left home.
He paused and then said
Perhaps you may not be aware of the fact that when I came on this visit I had not seen my
father for nearly twenty years. So you see I can’t tell you very much about his habits or his
enemies or what went on here.
Colonel Johnson asked
Did you know that your father kept a lot of valuable diamonds in the safe in his bedroom
David said indifferently
Did he? Seems a foolish sort of thing to do.
Johnson said
Will you describe briefly your own movements last night
Mine? Oh, I went away from the dinner table fairly quickly. It bores me, this sitting round
over port. Besides, I could see that Alfred and Harry were working up for a quarrel. I hate rows. I
slipped away and went to the music room and played the piano.
Poirot asked
The music room, it is next to the drawing room, is it not
Yes. I played there for some time—till—till the thing happened.
What did you hear exactly
Oh! A far-off noise of furniture being overturned somewhere upstairs. And then a pretty
ghastly cry.” He clenched his hands again. “Like a soul in hell. God, it was awful
Johnson said
Were you alone in the music room
Eh? No, my wife, Hilda, was there. She’d come in from the drawing room. We—we went
up with the others.
He added quickly and nervously
You don’t want me, do you, to describe what—what I saw there
Colonel Johnson said
No, quite unnecessary. Thank you, Mr. Lee, there’s nothing more. You can’t imagine, I
suppose, who would be likely to want to murder your father
David Lee said recklessly
I should think—quite a lot of people! I don’t know of anyone definite.
He went out rapidly, shutting the door loudly behind him.
