Dumb Witness (Hercule Poirot 16)

“Oh!” Mrs. Tanios drew a deep breath. “But I don’t think that’s possible, is it? I mean, my husband consulted a lawyer and he seemed to think that it was better not to attempt it.”

“Lawyers, madame, are cautious people. Their advice is usually to avoid litigation at all costs—and no doubt they are usually right. But there are times when it pays to take a risk. I am not a lawyer myself and therefore I look at the matter differently. Miss Arundell—Miss Theresa Arundell, I mean—is prepared to fight. What about you?”

“I—Oh! I really don’t know.” She twisted her fingers nervously together: “I should have to consult my husband.”

“Certainly, you must consult your husband before anything definite is undertaken. But what is your own feeling in the matter?”

“Well, really, I don’t know.” Mrs. Tanios looked more worried than ever. “It depends so much on my husband.”

“But you yourself, what do you think, madame?”

Mrs. Tanios frowned, then she said slowly:

“I don’t think I like the idea very much. It seems—it seems rather indecent, doesn’t it?”

“Does it, madame?”

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nbsp; “Yes—after all if Aunt Emily chose to leave her money away from her family, I suppose we must put up with it.”

“You do not feel aggrieved in the matter, then?”

“Oh, yes, I do.” A quick flush showed in her cheeks. “I think it was most unfair! Most unfair! And so unexpected. It was so unlike Aunt Emily. And so very unfair on the children.”

“You think it is very unlike Miss Emily Arundell?”

“I think it was extraordinary of her!”

“Then isn’t it possible that she was not acting of her own free will? Don’t you think that perhaps she was being unduly influenced?”

Mrs. Tanios frowned again. Then she said almost unwillingly:

“The difficult thing is that I can’t see Aunt Emily being influenced by anybody! She was such a decided old lady.”

Poirot nodded approvingly.

“Yes, what you say is true. And Miss Lawson is hardly what one would describe as a strong character.”

“No, she’s a nice creature really—rather foolish, perhaps—but very, very kind. That’s partly why I feel—”

“Yes, madame?” said Poirot as she paused.

Mrs. Tanios twisted her fingers nervously again as she answered:

“Well, that it would be mean to try and upset the will. I feel certain that it wasn’t in any way Miss Lawson’s doing—I’m sure she’d be quite incapable of scheming and intriguing—”

“Again, I agree with you, madame.”

“And that’s why I feel that to go to law would be—well, would be undignified and spiteful, and besides it would be very expensive, wouldn’t it?”

“It would be expensive, yes.”

“And probably useless, too. But you must speak to my husband about it. He’s got a much better head for business than I have.”

Poirot waited a minute or two, then he said:

“What reason do you think lay behind the making of that will?”