“Dr. Tanios. He was not down that same weekend, was he?”
“Yes, he came down on the Sunday. He only stayed about an hour.”
“Everyone seems to have been after poor Miss Arundell’s money,” hazarded Poirot.
“I know, it is not very nice to think of, is it?”
“No, indeed,” said Poirot. “It must have been a shock to Charles and Theresa Arundell that weekend when they learned that Miss Arundell had definitely disinherited them!”
Miss Lawson stared at him.
Poirot said:
“Is that not so? Did she not specifically inform them of the fact?”
“As to that, I couldn’t say. I didn’t hear anything about it! There wasn’t any fuss, or anything, as far as I know. Both Charles and his sister seemed to go away quite cheerful.”
“Ah! possibly I have been misinformed. Miss Arundell actually kept her will in the house, did she not?”
Miss Lawson dropped her pince-nez and stooped to pick them up.
“I really couldn’t say. No, I think it was with Mr. Purvis.”
“Who was the executor?”
“Mr. Purvis was.”
“After the death did he come over and look through her papers?”
“Yes, he did.”
Poirot looked at her keenly and asked her an unexpected question.
“Do you like Mr. Purvis?”
Miss Lawson was flustered.
“Like Mr. Purvis? Well, really, that’s difficult to say, isn’t it? I mean, I’m sure he’s a very clever man—that is a clever lawyer, I mean. But rather a brusque manner! I mean, it’s not very pleasant always, to have someone speaking to you as though—well, really I can’t explain what I mean—he was quite civil and yet at the same time, almost rude if you know what I mean.”
“A difficult situation for you,” said Poirot, sympathetically.
“Yes, indeed it was.”
Miss Lawson sighed and shook her head.
Poirot rose to his feet.
“Thank you very much, mademoiselle, for all your kindness and help.”
Miss Lawson rose too. She sounded slightly flustered.
“I’m sure there’s nothing to thank me for—nothing at all! So glad if I’ve been able to do anything—if there’s anything more I can do—”
Poirot came back from the door. He lowered his voice.
“I think, Miss Lawson, that there is something you ought to be told. Charles and Theresa Arundell are hoping to upset this will.”
A sharp flush of colour came into Miss Lawson’s cheeks.