Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Colonel Johnson passed quickly to another subject.

‘Thank you, Mr Lee. Now, there is another point. I understand that your father had some valuable diamonds in his possession.’

Alfred looked rather surprised.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘That is so.’

‘Where did he keep them?’

‘In the safe in his room.’

‘Can you describe them at all?’

‘They were rough diamonds – that is, uncut stones.’

‘Why did your father have them there?’

‘It was a whim of his. They were stones he had brought with him from South Africa. He never had them cut. He just liked keeping them in his possession. As I say, it was a whim of his.’

‘I see,’ said the chief constable.

From his tone it was plain that he did not see. He went on: ‘Were they of much value?’

‘My father estimated their value at about ten thousand pounds.’

‘In fact, they were very valuable stones?’

‘Yes.’

‘It seems a curious idea to keep such stones in a bedroom safe.’

Lydia interposed.

‘My father-in-law, Colonel Johnson, was a somewhat curious man. His ideas were not the conventional ones. It definitely gave him pleasure to handle those stones.’

‘They recalled, perhaps, the past to him,’ said Poirot. 

She gave him a quick appreciative look.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I think they did.’

‘Were they insured?’ asked the chief constable.

‘I think not.’

Johnson leaned forward. He asked quietly:

‘Did you know, Mr Lee, that those stones had been stolen?’

‘What?’ Alfred Lee stared at him.

‘Your father said nothing to you of their disappearance?’

‘Not a word.’

‘You did not know that he had sent for Superintendent Sugden here and had reported the loss to him?’

‘I hadn’t the faintest idea of such a thing!’

The chief constable transferred his gaze.

‘What about you, Mrs Lee?’

Lydia shook her head.

‘I heard nothing about it.’

‘As far as you knew, the stones were still in the safe?’

‘Yes.’

She hesitated and then asked:

‘Is that why he was killed? For the sake of those stones?’

Colonel Johnson said:

‘That is what we are going to find out!’

He went on: 

‘Have you any idea, Mrs Lee, who could have engineered such a theft?’

She shook her head.

‘No, indeed. I am sure the servants are all honest. In any case, it would be very difficult for them to get at the safe. My father-in-law was always in his room. He never came downstairs.’

‘Who attended to the room?’

‘Horbury. He made the bed and dusted. The second housemaid went in to do the grate and lay the fire every morning, otherwise Horbury did everything.’

Poirot said:

‘So Horbury would be the person with the best opportunity?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you think that it was he who stole the diamonds, then?’

‘It is possible. I suppose…He had the best opportunity. Oh! I don’t know what to think.’

Colonel Johnson said:

‘Your husband has given us his account of the evening. Will you do the same, Mrs Lee? When did you last see your father-in-law?’

‘We were all up in his room this afternoon – before tea. That was the last time I saw him.’

‘You did not see him later to bid him goodnight?’

‘No.’ 

Poirot said:

‘Do you usually go and say goodnight to him?’

Lydia said sharply:

‘No.’

The chief constable went on:

‘Where were you when the crime took place?’

‘In the drawing-room.’

‘You heard the noise of the struggle?’

‘I think I heard something heavy fall. Of course my father-in-law’s room is over the dining-room, not the drawing-room, so I shouldn’t hear so much.’

‘But you heard the cry?’

Lydia shuddered.

‘Yes, I heard that…It was horrible – like – like a soul in hell. I knew at once something dreadful had happened. I hurried out and followed my husband and Harry up the stairs.’

‘Who else was in the drawing-room at the time?’

Lydia frowned.

‘Really – I can’t remember. David was next door in the music-room, playing Mendelssohn. I think Hilda had gone to join him.’

‘And the other two ladies?’

Lydia said slowly:

‘Magdalene went to telephone. I can’t remember whether she had come back or not. I don’t know where Pilar was.’ 

Poirot said gently:

‘In fact, you may have been quite alone in the drawing-room?’

‘Yes – yes – as a matter of fact, I believe I was.’

Colonel Johnson said:

‘About these diamonds. We ought, I think, to make quite sure about them. Do you know the combination of your father’s safe, Mr Lee? I see it is of a somewhat old-fashioned pattern.’

‘You will find it written down in a small note-book he carried in the pocket of his dressing-gown.’

‘Good. We will go and look presently. It will be better, perhaps, if we interview the other members of the house-party first. The ladies may want to get to bed.’

Lydia stood up.

‘Come, Alfred.’ She turned to them. ‘Shall I send them in to you?’

‘One by one, if you wouldn’t mind, Mrs Lee.’

‘Certainly.’

She moved towards the door. Alfred followed her.

Suddenly, at the last moment, he swung round.

‘Of course,’ he said. He came quickly back to Poirot. ‘You are Hercule Poirot! I don’t know where my wits have been. I should have realized at once.’

He spoke quickly, in a low, excited voice.