Hercule Poirot's Christmas

‘That is right. I had – oh! a lot of adventures getting out of Spain – there was a bomb from the air and the chauffeur he was killed – where his head had been there was all blood. And I could not drive a car, so for a long way I had to walk – and I do not like walking. I never walk. My feet were sore – but sore–’

Colonel Johnson smiled. He said:

‘At any rate you arrived here. Had your mother spoken to you of your grandfather much?’

Pilar nodded cheerfully.

‘Oh, yes, she said he was an old devil.’

Hercule Poirot smiled. He said:

‘And what did you think of him when you arrived, mademoiselle?’

Pilar said:

‘Of course he was very, very old. He had to sit in a chair – and his face was all dried up. But I liked him all the same. I think that when he was a young man, he must have been handsome – very handsome, like you,’ said Pilar to Superintendent Sugden. Her eyes dwelt with naive pleasure on his handsome face, which had turned brick-red at the compliment.

Colonel Johnson stifled a chuckle. It was one of the few occasions when he had seen the stolid superintendent taken aback.

‘But of course,’ Pilar continued regretfully, ‘he could never have been so big as you.’ 

Hercule Poirot sighed.

‘You like, then, big men, senorita?’ he inquired.

Pilar agreed enthusiastically.

‘Oh, yes, I like a man to be very big, tall, and the shoulders broad, and very, very strong.’

Colonel Johnson said sharply:

‘Did you see much of your grandfather when you arrived here?’

Pilar said:

‘Oh, yes. I went to sit with him. He told me things – that he had been a very wicked man, and all the things he did in South Africa.’

‘Did he ever tell you that he had diamonds in the safe in his room?’

‘Yes, he showed them to me. But they were not like diamonds – they were just like pebbles – very ugly – very ugly indeed.’

Superintendent Sugden said shortly:

‘So he showed them to you, did he?’

‘Yes.’

‘He didn’t give you any of them?’

Pilar shook her head.

‘No, he did not. I thought that perhaps one day he would – if I were very nice to him and came often to sit with him. Because old gentlemen they like very much young girls.’

Colonel Johnson said: 

‘Do you know that those diamonds have been stolen?’

Pilar opened her eyes very wide.

‘Stolen?’

‘Yes, have you any idea who might have taken them?’

Pilar nodded her head.

‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘It would be Horbury.’

‘Horbury? You mean the valet?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why do you think that?’

‘Because he has the face of a thief. His eyes go so, from side to side, he walks softly and listens at doors. He is like a cat. And all cats are thieves.’

‘H’m,’ said Colonel Johnson. ‘We’ll leave it at that. Now I understand that all the family were up in your grandfather’s room this afternoon, and that some – er – angry words passed.’

Pilar nodded and smiled.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It was great fun. Grandfather made them oh! so angry!’

‘Oh, you enjoyed it, did you?’

‘Yes. I like to see people get angry. I like it very much. But here in England they do not get angry like they do in Spain. In Spain they take out their knives and they curse and shout. In England they do nothing, just get very red in the face and shut up their mouths tight.’

‘Do you remember what was said?’ 

Pilar seemed rather doubtful.

‘I am not sure. Grandfather said they were no good – that they had not got any children. He said I was better than any of them. He liked me, very much.’

‘Did he say anything about money or a will?’

‘A will – no, I don’t think so. I don’t remember.’

‘What happened?’

‘They all went away – except Hilda – the fat one, David’s wife, she stayed behind.’

‘Oh, she did, did she?’

‘Yes. David looked very funny. He was all shaking and oh! so white. He looked as though he might be sick.’

‘And what then?’

‘Then I went and found Stephen. We danced to the gramophone.’

‘Stephen Farr?’

‘Yes. He is from South Africa – he is the son of Grandfather’s partner. He is very handsome too. Very brown and big, and he has nice eyes.’

Johnson asked:

‘Where were you when the crime occurred?’

‘You ask where I was?’

‘Yes.’

‘I had gone into the drawing-room with Lydia. And then I went up to my room and did my face. I was going to dance again with Stephen. And then, far away, I heard a scream and everyone was running, so I went too. And they were trying to break down Grandfather’s door. Harry did it with Stephen, they are both big strong men.’

‘Yes?’

‘And then – crash – down it went – and we all looked in. Oh, such a sight – everything smashed and knocked over, and Grandfather lying in a lot of blood, and his throat was cut like this ’ – she made a vivid dramatic gesture at her own neck – ‘right up under his ear.’

She paused, having obviously enjoyed her narrative.

Johnson said:

‘The blood didn’t make you feel ill?’

She stared.

‘No, why should it? There is usually blood when people are killed. There was, oh! so much blood everywhere!’

Poirot said: ‘Did anyone say anything?’

Pilar said: