阳光下的罪恶06

Two

When Rosamund Darnley came and sat down by him, Hercule Poirot made no attempt to disguisehis pleasure.

As he has since admitted, he admired Rosamund Darnley as much as any woman he had evermet. He liked her distinction, the graceful¹ lines of her figure, the alert proud carriage of her head.

He liked the neat sleek² waves of her dark hair and the ironic³ quality of her smile.

She was wearing a dress of some navy blue material with touches of white. It looked verysimple owing to the expensive severity of its line. Rosamund Darnley as Rose Mond Ltd was oneof London’s best-known dressmakers.

She said:

“I don’t think I like this place. I’m wondering why I came here!”

“You have been here before, have you not?”

“Yes, two years ago, at Easter. There weren’t so many people then.”

Hercule Poirot looked at her. He said gently:

“Something has occurred to worry you. That is right, is it not?”

She nodded. Her foot swung to and fro. She stared down at it. She said:

“I’ve met a ghost. That’s what it is.”

“A ghost, Mademoiselle?”

“Yes.”

“The ghost of what? Or of whom?”

“Oh, the ghost of myself.”

Poirot asked gently:

“Was it a painful ghost?”

“Unexpectedly painful. It took me back, you know….”

She paused, musing⁴. Then she said.

“Imagine my childhood. No, you can’t! You’re not English!”

Poirot asked:

“Was it a very English childhood?”

“Oh, incredibly so! The country—a big shabby house—horses, dogs—walks in the rain—woodfires—apples in the orchard—lack of money—old tweeds—evening dresses that went on fromyear to year—a neglected garden—with Michaelmas daisies coming out like great banners in theautumn….”

Poirot asked gently:

“And you want to go back?”

Rosamund Darnley shook her head. She said:

“One can’t go back, can one? That—never. But I’d like to have gone on—a different way.”

Poirot said:

“I wonder.”

Rosamund Darnley laughed.

“So do I, really!”

Poirot said:

“When I was young (and that, Mademoiselle, is indeed a long time ago) there was a gameentitled, ‘If not yourself, who would you be?’ One wrote the answer in young ladies’ albums. Theyhad gold edges and were bound in blue leather. The answer? Mademoiselle, is not really very easyto find.”

Rosamund said:

“No—I suppose not. It would be a big risk. One wouldn’t like to take on being Mussolini orPrincess Elizabeth. As for one’s friends, one knows too much about them. I remember oncemeeting a charming husband and wife. They were so courteous⁵ and delightful⁶ to one another andseemed on such good terms after years of marriage that I envied the woman. I’d have changedplaces with her willingly. Somebody told me afterwards that in private they’d never spoken toeach other for eleven years!”

She laughed.

“That shows, doesn’t it, that you never know?”

After a moment or two Poirot said:

“Many people, Mademoiselle, must envy you.”

Rosamund Darnley said coolly:

“Oh, yes. Naturally.”

She thought about it, her lips curved upward in their ironic smile.

“Yes, I’m really the perfect type of the successful woman! I enjoy the artistic⁸ satisfaction of thesuccessful creative artist (I really do like designing clothes) and the financial satisfaction of thesuccessful business woman. I’m very well off, I’ve a good figure, a passable face, and a not toomalicious tongue.”

She paused. Her smiled widened.

“Of course—I haven’t got a husband! I’ve failed there, haven’t I, M. Poirot?”

Poirot said gallantly⁹:

“Mademoiselle, if you are not married, it is because none of my sex have been sufficientlyeloquent. It is from choice, not necessity, that you remain single.”

Rosamund Darnley said:

“And yet, like all men, I’m sure you believe in your heart that no woman is content unless she ismarried and has children.”

Poirot shrugged¹¹ his shoulders.

“To marry and have children, that is the common lot of women. Only one woman in a hundred—more, in a thousand, can make for herself a name and a position as you have done.”

Rosamund grinned at him.

“And yet, all the same, I’m nothing but a wretched old maid! That’s what I feel today, at anyrate. I’d be happier with twopence a year and a big silent brute¹² of a husband and a brood of bratsrunning after me. That’s true, isn’t it?”

Poirot shrugged his shoulders.

“Since you say so, then, yes, Mademoiselle.”

Rosamund laughed, her equilibrium¹³ suddenly restored. She took out a cigarette and lit it.

She said:

“You certainly know how to deal with women, M. Poirot. I now feel like taking the oppositepoint of view and arguing with you in favour of careers for women. Of course I’m damned well-off as I am—and I know it!”

“Then everything in the garden—or shall we say at the seaside? is lovely, Mademoiselle.”

“Quite right.”

Poirot, in his turn, extracted his cigarette case and lit one of those tiny cigarettes which it washis affection to smoke.

Regarding the ascending¹⁴ haze¹⁵ with a quizzical eye, he murmured:

“So Mr.—no, Captain Marshall is an old friend of yours, Mademoiselle?”

Rosamund sat up. She said:

“Now how do you know that? Oh, I suppose Ken⁷ told you.”

Poirot shook his head.

“Nobody has told me anything. After all, Mademoiselle, I am a detective. It was the obviousconclusion to draw.”

Rosamund Darnley said: “I don’t see it.”

“But consider!” The little man’s hands were eloquent¹⁰. “You have been here a week. You arelively, gay, without a care. Today, suddenly, you speak of ghosts, of old times. What hashappened? For several days there have been no new arrivals until last night when CaptainMarshall and his wife and daughter arrive. Today the change! It is obvious!”

Rosamund Darnley said:

“Well, it’s true enough. Kenneth Marshall and I were more or less children together. TheMarshalls lived next door to us. Ken was always nice to me—although condescending¹⁶, of course,since he was four years older. I’ve not seen anything of him for a long time. It must be—fifteenyears at least.”

Poirot said thoughtfully:

“A long time.”

Rosamund nodded.

There was a pause and then Hercule Poirot said:

“He is sympathetic, yes?”

Rosamund said warmly:

“Ken’s a dear. One of the best. Frightfully quiet and reserved. I’d say his only fault is apenchant for making unfortunate marriages.”

Poirot said in a tone of great understanding: “Ah—”

Rosamund Darnley went on.

“Kenneth’s a fool — an utter fool where women are concerned! Do you remember theMartingdale case?”

Poirot frowned.

“Martingdale? Martingdale? Arsenic¹⁷, was it not?”

“Yes. Seventeen or eighteen years ago. The woman was tried for the murder of her husband.”

“And he was proved to have been an arsenic eater and she was acquitted¹⁸?”

“That’s right. Well, after her acquittal, Ken married her. That’s the sort of damn silly thing hedoes.”

Hercule Poirot murmured:

“But if she was innocent?”

Rosamund Darnley said impatiently:

“Oh, I dare say she was innocent. Nobody really knows! But there are plenty of women tomarry in the world without going out of your way to marry one who’s stood her trial for murder.”

Poirot said nothing. Perhaps he knew that if he kept silence Rosamund Darnley would go on.

She did so.

“He was very young, of course, only just twenty-one. He was crazy about her. She died whenLinda was born—a year after their marriage. I believe Ken was terribly cut up by her death.

Afterwards he racketed around a lot—trying to forget, I suppose.”

She paused.

“And then came this business of Arlena Stuart. She was in Revue at the time. There was theCodrington divorce case. Lady Codrington divorced Codrington, citing Arlena Stuart. They sayLord Codrington was absolutely infatuated with her. It was understood they were to be married assoon as the decree was made absolute. Actually, when it came to it, he didn’t marry her. Turnedher down flat. I believe she actually sued him for breach¹⁹ of promise. Anyway, the thing made a bigstir at the time. The next thing that happens is that Ken goes and marries her. The fool—thecomplete fool!”

Hercule Poirot murmured:

“A man might be excused such a folly—she is beautiful, Mademoiselle.”

“Yes, there’s no doubt of that. There was another scandal about three years ago. Old Sir RogerErskine left her every penny of his money. I should have thought that would have opened Ken’seyes if anything would.”

“And did it not?”

Rosamund Darnley shrugged her shoulders.

“I tell you I’ve seen nothing of him for years. People say, though, that he took it with absoluteequanimity. Why, I should like to know? Has he got an absolutely blind belief in her?”

“There might be other reasons.”

“Yes. Pride! Keeping a stiff upper lip! I don’t know what he really feels about her. Nobodydoes.”

“And she? What does she feel about him?”

Rosamund stared at him.

She said:

“She? She’s the world’s first gold digger. And a man-eater as well! If anything personable introusers comes within a hundred yards of her, it’s fresh sport for Arlena! She’s that kind.”

Poirot nodded his head slowly in complete agreement.

“Yes,” he said. “That is true what you say… Her eyes look for one thing only—men.”

Rosamund said:

“She’s got her eye on Patrick Redfern now. He’s a good-looking man—and rather the simplekind—you know, fond of his wife, and not a philanderer²⁰. That’s the kind that’s meat and drink toArlena. I like little Mrs. Redfern—she’s nice looking in her fair washed-out way—but I don’tthink she’ll stand a dog’s chance against that man-eating tiger, Arlena.”

Poirot said:

“No, it is as you say.”

He looked distressed²¹.

Rosamund said:

“Christine Redfern was a school teacher, I believe. She’s the kind that thinks that mind has apull over matter. She’s got a rude shock coming to her.”

Poirot shook his head vexedly.

Rosamund got up. She said:

“It’s a shame, you know.” She added vaguely²²: “Somebody ought to do something about it.”

 

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