‘Aren’t you coming in?’
‘No, me, I will promenade myself in the grounds.
I will rejoin you by the lodge gates in a quarter of an hour’s time.’
I nodded, and set off on my task.
The only member of the family at home proved to be Mrs Ackroyd, who was sipping an early cup of tea. She received me very graciously.
‘So grateful to you, doctor,’ she murmured, ‘for clearing up that little matter with M. Poirot.
But life is one trouble after another.
You have heard about Flora, of course?’
‘What exactly?’ I asked cautiously.
‘This new engagement.
Flora and Hector Blunt.
Of course not such a good match as Ralph would have been.
But after all, happiness comes first.
What dear Flora needs is an older man - someone steady annd reliable, and then Hector is really a very distinguished man in his way.
You saw the news of Ralph’s arrest in the paper this morning?’
‘Yes,’ I said,
‘I did.’
‘Horrible.’
Mrs Ackroyd closed her eyes and shuddered.
‘Geoffrey Raymond was in a terrible way. Rang up Liverpool.
But they wouldn’t tell him anything at the police station there. In fact, they said they hadn’t arrested Ralph at all. Mr Raymond insists that it’s all a mistake - a ~ what do they call it? - canard of the newspaper’s. I’ve forbidden it to be mentioned before the servants.
Such a terrible disgrace.
Fancy if Flora had actually been married to him.’
Mrs Ackroyd shut her eyes in anguish.
I began to wonder how soon I should be able to deliver Poirot’s invitation. Before I had time to speak, Mrs Ackroyd was off again.
‘You were here yesterday, weren’t you, with that dreadful Inspector Raglan? Brute of a man - he terrified Flora into saying she took that money from poor Roger’s room.
And the matter was so simple, really. The dear child wanted to borrow a few pounds, didn’t like to disturb her uncle since he’d given strict orders against it. But knowing where he kept his notes she went there and took what she needed.’
‘Is that Flora’s account of the matter?’ I asked.
‘My dear doctor, you know what girls are nowadays. So easily acted on by suggestion.
You, of course, know all about hypnosis and that sort of thing.
The inspector shouts at her, says the word “steal” over and over again, until the poor child gets an inhibition - or is it a complex? -1 always mix up those two words - and actually thinks herself that she has stolen the money.
I saw at once how it was.
But I can’t be too thankful for the whole misunderstanding in one way - it seems to have brought those two together - Hector and Flora, I mean.
And I assure you that I have been very much worried about Flora in the past: why, at one time I actually thought there was going to be some kind of understanding between her and young Raymond.
Just think of it!’ Mrs Ackroyd’s voice rose in shrill horror.
‘A private secretary - with practically no means of his own.’
‘It would have been a severe blow to you,’ I said.
‘Now, Mrs Ackroyd, I’ve got a message for you from M. Hercule Poirot.’
‘For me?’ Mrs Ackroyd looked quite alarmed.
I hastened to reassure her, and I explained what Poirot wanted.
‘Certainly,’ said Mrs Ackroyd rather doubtfully. ‘I suppose we must come if M. Poirot says so.
But what is it all about?
I like to know beforehand.’
I assured the lady truthfully that I myself did not know any more than she did.
‘Very well,’ said Mrs Ackroyd at last, rather grudgingly, ‘I will tell the others, and we will be there at nine o’clock.’
Thereupon I took my leave, and joined Poirot at the agreed meeting-place.
‘I’ve been longer than a quarter of an hour, I’m afraid,’ I remarked. ‘But once that good lady starts talking it’s a matter of the utmost difficulty to get a word in edgeways.’
‘It is of no matter,’ said Poirot. The, I have been well amused. This park is magnificent.’
We set off homewards.
When we arrived, to our great surprise Caroline, who had evidently been watching for us, herself opened the door.