Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Pilar said fiercely:

‘And that is why I cannot do it – not when you speak like that – not when you are like that! I enjoyed coming here. It was fun! It was an adventure, but now you have spoilt it all! I am going away now, at once – you will never be bothered by me again…’ 

Tears choked her voice. She turned and ran blindly out of the room.

Lydia stared. She said helplessly:

‘I’d no idea she would take it like that!’

Hilda said:

‘The child seems quite upset.’

George cleared his throat and said portentously:

‘Er – as I pointed out this morning – the principle involved is wrong. Pilar has the wit to see that for herself. She refuses to accept charity–’

Lydia said sharply:

‘It is not charity. It is her right!’

George said:

‘She does not seem to think so!’

Superintendent Sugden and Hercule Poirot came in. The former looked round and asked:

‘Where’s Mr Farr? I want a word with him.’

Before anyone had time to answer, Hercule Poirot said sharply:

‘Where is the senorita Estravados?’

George Lee said with a trace of malicious satisfaction:

‘Going to clear out, so she says. Apparently she has had enough of her English relations.’

Poirot wheeled round.

He said to Sugden:

‘Come!’ 

As the two men emerged into the hall, there was the sound of a heavy crash and a far-away shriek.

Poirot cried:

‘Quick…Come…’

They raced along the hall and up the far staircase. The door of Pilar’s room was open and a man stood in the doorway. He turned his head as they ran up. It was Stephen Farr.

He said:

‘She’s alive…’

Pilar stood crouched against the wall of her room. She was staring at the floor where a big stone cannon ball was lying.

She said breathlessly:

‘It was on top of my door, balanced there. It would have crashed down on my head when I came in, but my skirt caught on a nail and jerked me back just as I was coming in.’

Poirot knelt down and examined the nail. On it was a thread of purple tweed. He looked up and nodded gravely.

‘That nail, mademoiselle,’ he said, ‘saved your life.’

The superintendent said, bewildered:

‘Look here, what’s the meaning of all this?’

Pilar said:

‘Someone tried to kill me!’

She nodded her head several times. 

Superintendent Sugden glanced up at the door.

‘Booby trap,’ he said. ‘An old-fashioned booby trap – and its purpose was murder! That’s the second murder planned in this house. But this time it didn’t come off!’

Stephen Farr said huskily:

‘Thank God you’re safe.’

Pilar flung out her hands in a wide, appealing gesture.

‘Madre de Dios,’ she cried. ‘Why should anyone wish to kill me? What have I done?’

Hercule Poirot said slowly:

‘You should rather ask, mademoiselle, what do I know?’

She stared.

‘Know? I do not know anything.’

Hercule Poirot said:

‘That is where you are wrong. Tell me, Mademoiselle Pilar, where were you at the time of the murder? You were not in this room.’

‘I was. I have told you so!’

Superintendent Sugden said with deceptive mildness:

‘Yes, but you weren’t speaking the truth when you said that, you know. You told us you heard your grandfather scream – you couldn’t have heard that if you were in here – Mr Poirot and I tested that yesterday.’ 

‘Oh!’ Pilar caught her breath.

Poirot said:

‘You were somewhere very much nearer his room. I will tell you where I think you were, mademoiselle. You were in the recess with the statues quite close to your grandfather’s door.’

Pilar said, startled:

‘Oh…How did you know?’

Poirot said with a faint smile:

‘Mr Farr saw you there.’

Stephen said sharply:

‘I did not. That’s an absolute lie!’

Poirot said:

‘I ask your pardon, Mr Farr, but youdid see her. Remember your impression that there were three statues in that recess, nottwo. Only one person wore a white dress that night, Mademoiselle Estravados.She was the third white figure you saw. That is so, is it not, mademoiselle?’

Pilar said, after a moment’s hesitation: ‘Yes, it is true.’

Poirot said gently: ‘Now tell us, mademoiselle, the whole truth.Why were you there?’

Pilar said:

‘I left the drawing-room after dinner and I thought I would go and see my grandfather. I thought he would be pleased. But when I turned into the passage I saw someone else was there at his door. I did not want to be seen because I knew my grandfather had said he did not want to see anyone that night. I slipped into the recess in case the person at the door turned round.’

‘Then, all at once, I heard the most horrible sounds, tables – chairs’ – she waved her hands – ‘everything falling and crashing. I did not move. I do not know why. I was frightened. And then there was a terrible scream’ – she crossed herself – ‘and my heart it stopped beating, and I said, “Someone is dead…”’

‘And then?’

‘And then people began coming running along the passage and I came out at the end and joined them.’

Superintendent Sugden said sharply:

‘You said nothing of all this when we first questioned you. Why not?’

Pilar shook her head. She said, with an air of wisdom: