“Poor Susanne?
Yes, I had forgotten about her.
The police questioned her.
They were convinced that she had something to do with it.
Perhaps she had – but if so only innocently.
She had, I believe, chatted idly with someone, giving information as to the time of Daisy’s outings.
The poor thing got terribly wrought up – she thought she was being held responsible.” She shuddered. “She threw herself out of the window.
Oh! it was horrible.” She buried her face in her hands.
“What nationality was she, Madame?”
“She was French.”
“What was her last name?”
“It’s absurd, but I can’t remember – we all called her Susanne.
A pretty, laughing girl.
She was devoted to Daisy.”
“She was the nursery-maid, was she not?”
“Yes.”
“Who was the nurse?”
“She was a trained hospital nurse.
Stengelberg her name was.
She too was devoted to Daisy – and to my sister.”
“Now, Madame, I want you to think carefully before you answer this question.
Have you, since you were on this train, seen anyone that you recognised?”
She stared at him.
“I? No, no one at all.”
“What about Princess Dragomiroff?”
“Oh! her.
I know her, of course.
I thought you meant anyone – anyone from – from that time.”
“So I did, Madame.
Now think carefully.
Some years have passed, remember.
The person might have altered his or her appearance.”
Helena pondered deeply.
Then she said: “No – I am sure – there is no one.”
“You yourself – you were a young girl at the time – did you have no one to superintend your studies or to look after you?”
“Oh! yes, I had a dragon – a sort of governess to me and secretary to Sonia combined.
She was English – or rather Scotch; a big red-haired woman.”
“What was her name?”
“Miss Freebody.”
“Young or old?”
“She seemed frightfully old to me.
I suppose she couldn’t have been more than forty.
Susanne, of course, used to look after my clothes and maid me.”
“And there were no other inmates of the house?”
“Only servants.”
“And you are certain, quite certain, Madame, that you have recognised no one on the train?”
She replied earnestly: “No one, Monsieur. No one at all.”
5.
The Christian Name of Princess Dragomiroff
When the Count and Countess had departed, Poirot looked across at the other two.