"Not a bad idea of yours," he said. "We'll soon see if there's anything in it.
I'll give 'em three minutes."
The door of the dining-saloon opened and the same steward to whom they had spoken came out.
He saluted Race and said:
"Quite right, sir.
There's a lady who says it's urgent she should speak to you at once without any delay."
"Ah!" Race's face showed his satisfaction. "Who is it?"
"Miss Bowers, sir, the hospital nurse lady."
A slight shade of surprise showed on Race's face.
He said:
"Bring her to the smoking-room.
Don't let anyone else leave."
"No, sir - the other steward will attend to that."
He went back into the dining-room.
Poirot and Race went to the smoking-room.
"Bowers, eh?" murmured Race.
They had hardly got inside the smoking-room before the steward reappeared with Miss Bowers.
He ushered her in and left, shutting the door behind him.
"Well, Miss Bowers?" Colonel Race looked at her inquiringly. "What's all this?"
Miss Bowers looked her usual composed, unhurried self.
She displayed no particular emotion.
"You'll excuse me, Colonel Race," she said, "but under the circumstances I thought the best thing to do would be to speak to you at once -" she opened her neat black handbag - "and to return you these."
She took out a string of pearls and laid them on the table.
Chapter 20
If Miss Bowers had been the kind of woman who enjoyed creating a sensation, she would have been richly repaid by the result of her action.
A look of utter astonishment passed over Colonel Race's face as he picked up the pearls from the table.
"This is most extraordinary," he said. "Will you kindly explain, Miss Bowers?"
"Of course. That's what I've come to do." Miss Bowers settled herself comfortably in a chair. "Naturally it was a little difficult for me to decide what it was best for me to do.
The family would naturally be averse to scandal of any kind, and they trust my discretion, but the circumstances are so very unusual that it really leaves me no choice.
Of course, when you didn't find anything in the cabins, your next move would be a search of the passengers, and if the pearls were then found in my possession it would be rather an awkward situation and the truth would come out just the same."
"And just what is the truth?
Did you take these pearls from Mrs Doyle's cabin?"
"Oh, no, Colonel Race, of course not.
Miss Van Schuyler did."
"Miss Van Schuyler?"
"Yes.
She can't help it, you know, but she does - er - take things.
Especially jewellery.
That's really why I'm always with her.
It's not her health at all; it's this little idiosyncrasy.
I keep on the alert, and fortunately there's never been any trouble since I've been with her.
It just means being watchful, you know.
And she always hides the things she takes in the same place - rolled up in a pair of stockings - so that makes it very simple. I look each morning.
Of course I'm a light sleeper, and I always sleep next door to her, and with the communicating door open if it's in a hotel, so that I usually hear.
Then I go after her and persuade her to go back to bed.
Of course it's been rather more difficult on a boat.
But she doesn't usually do it at night.
It's more just picking up things that she sees left about.
Of course, pearls have a great attraction for her always."
Miss Bowers ceased speaking.