The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (Hercule Poirot 21)

Both Mr. Petherick and Mr. Rhodes were star-ing

at me so that I felt quite embarrassed.

"Perhaps," said Mr. Rhodes, "Miss Marple

hasn't quite appreciated the difficulties."

"Yes," I said, "I think I have. There are four

possibilities. Either Mrs. Rhodes was killed by her

husband, or by the chambermaid, or she com-mitted

suicide, or she was killed by an outsider

whom nobody saw enter or leave."

138

Agatha Christie

"And that's impossible," Mr. Rhodes broke in.

"Nobody could come in or go out through my

room without my seeing them, and even if anyone

did manage to come in through my wife's room

without the electrician seeing them, how the devil

could they get out again leaving the door locked

and bolted on the inside?"

Mr. Petherick looked at me and said: "Well,

Miss Marple?" in an encouraging manner.

"I should like," I said, "to ask a question. Mr.

Rhodes, what did the chambermaid look like?"

He said he wasn't sure--she was tallish, he

thought--he didn't remember if she was fair or

dark. I turned to Mr. Petherick and asked him the

same question.

He said she was of medium height, had fairish

hair and blue eyes and rather a high color.

Mr. Rhodes said: "You are a better observer

than I am, Petherick."