Six

After the difficulties of getting a direct statement from Lady Chevenix-Gore, Major Riddle¹ foundconsiderable relief in dealing² with a shrewd lawyer like Forbes.

Mr.?Forbes was extremely guarded and cautious in his statements, but his replies were alldirectly to the point.

He admitted that Sir Gervase’s suicide had been a great shock to him. He should never haveconsidered Sir Gervase the kind of man who would take his own life. He knew nothing of anycause for such an act.

“Sir Gervase was not only my client, but was a very old friend. I have known him sinceboyhood. I should say that he had always enjoyed life.”

“In the circumstances, Mr.?Forbes, I must ask you to speak quite candidly³. You did not knowof any secret anxiety or sorrow in Sir Gervase’s life?”

“No. He had minor⁴ worries, like most men, but there was nothing of a serious nature.”

“No illness? No trouble between him and his wife?”

“No. Sir Gervase and Lady Chevenix-Gore were devoted⁵ to each other.”

Major Riddle said cautiously:

“Lady Chevenix-Gore appears to hold somewhat curious views.”

Mr.?Forbes smiled—an indulgent, manly⁶ smile.

“Ladies,” he said, “must be allowed their fancies.”

The chief constable⁷ went on:

“You managed all Sir Gervase’s legal affairs?”

“Yes, my firm, Forbes, Ogilvie and Spence, have acted for the Chevenix-Gore family for wellover a hundred years.”

“Were there any—scandals in the Chevenix-Gore family?”

Mr. Forbes’s eyebrows⁸ rose.

“Really, I fail to understand you?”

“M. Poirot, will you show Mr.?Forbes the letter you showed?me?”

In silence Poirot rose and handed the letter to Mr.?Forbes with a little bow.

Mr.?Forbes read it and his eyebrows rose still more.

“A most remarkable⁹ letter,” he said. “I appreciate your question now. No, so far as myknowledge went, there was nothing to justify¹⁰ the writing of such a letter.”

“Sir Gervase said nothing of this matter to you?”

“Nothing at all. I must say I find it very curious that he should not have done so.”

“He was accustomed to confide¹¹ in you?”

“I think he relied on my judgment¹².”

“And you have no idea as to what this letter refers?”

“I should not like to make any rash speculations¹³.”

Major Riddle appreciated the subtlety¹⁴ of this reply.

“Now, Mr.?Forbes, perhaps you can tell us how Sir Gervase has left his property.”

“Certainly. I see no objection to such a course. To his wife, Sir Gervase left an annual incomeof six thousand pounds chargeable on the estate, and the choice of the Dower House or the townhouse in Lowndes Square, whichever she should prefer. There were, of course, several legaciesand bequests¹⁵, but nothing of an outstanding nature. The residue¹⁶ of his property was left to hisadopted daughter, Ruth, on condition that, if she married, her husband should take the name ofChevenix-Gore.”

“Was nothing left to his nephew, Mr.?Hugo Trent?”

“Yes. A legacy¹⁷ of five thousand pounds.”

“And I take it that Sir Gervase was a rich man?”

“He was extremely wealthy. He had a vast private fortune apart from the estate. Of course, hewas not quite so well-off as in the past. Practically all invested incomes have felt the strain. Also,Sir Gervase had dropped a good deal of money over a certain company—the Paragon¹⁸ SyntheticRubber Substitute in which Colonel Bury persuaded him to invest a good deal of money.”

“Not very wise advice?”

Mr.?Forbes sighed.

“Retired soldiers are the worst sufferers when they engage in financial operations. I havefound that their credulity far exceeds that of widows—and that is saying a good deal.”

“But these unfortunate investments did not seriously affect Sir Gervase’s income?”

“Oh, no, not seriously. He was still an extremely rich man.”

“When was this will made?”

“Two years ago.”

Poirot murmured:

“This arrangement, was it not possibly a little unfair to Mr.?Hugo Trent, Sir Gervase’snephew? He is, after all, Sir Gervase’s nearest blood relation.”

Mr.?Forbes shrugged¹⁹ his shoulders.

“One has to take a certain amount of family history into account.”

“Such as—?”

Mr.?Forbes seemed slightly unwilling²⁰ to proceed.

Major Riddle said:

“You mustn’t think we’re unduly²¹ concerned with raking up old scandals or anything of thatsort. But this letter of Sir Gervase’s to M. Poirot has got to be explained.”

“There is certainly nothing scandalous in the explanation of Sir Gervase’s attitude to hisnephew,” said Mr.?Forbes quickly. “It was simply that Sir Gervase always took his position ashead of the family very seriously. He had a younger brother and sister. The brother, AnthonyChevenix-Gore, was killed in the war. The sister, Pamela, married, and Sir Gervase disapproved²² ofthe marriage. That is to say, he considered that she ought to obtain his consent and approval beforemarrying. He thought that Captain Trent’s family was not of sufficient prominence²³ to be alliedwith a Chevenix-Gore. His sister was merely amused by his attitude. As a result, Sir Gervase hasalways been inclined to dislike his nephew. I think that dislike may have influenced him indeciding to adopt a

child.”

“There was no hope of his having children of his own?”

“No. There was a stillborn child about a year after his marriage. The doctors told LadyChevenix-Gore that she would never be able to have another child. About two years later headopted Ruth.”

“And who was Mademoiselle Ruth? How did they come to settle upon her?”

“She was, I believe, the child of a distant connection.”

“That I had guessed,” said Poirot. He looked up at the wall which was hung with familyportraits. “One can see that she was of the same blood—the nose, the line of the chin. It repeatsitself on these walls many times.”

“She inherits the temper too,” said Mr.?Forbes dryly.

“So I should imagine. How did she and her adopted father get?on?”

“Much as you might imagine. There was a fierce clash of wills more than once. But in spiteof these quarrels I believe there was also an underlying²⁴ harmony.”

“Nevertheless, she caused him a good deal of anxiety?”

“Incessant anxiety. But I can assure you not to the point of causing him to take his own life.”

“Ah, that, no,” agreed Poirot. “One does not blow one’s brains out because one has aheadstrong daughter! And so mademoiselle inherits! Sir Gervase, he never thought of altering hiswill?”

“Ahem!” Mr.?Forbes coughed to hide a little discomposure. “As a matter of fact, I tookinstructions from Sir Gervase on my arrival here (two days ago, that is to say) as to the drafting ofa new will.”

“What’s this?” Major Riddle hitched²⁵ his chair a little closer. “You didn’t tell us this.”

Mr.?Forbes said quickly:

“You merely asked me what the terms of Sir Gervase’s will were. I gave you the informationfor which you asked. The new will was not even properly drawn²⁶ up—much less signed.”

“What were its provisions? They may be some guide to Sir Gervase’s state of mind.”

“In the main, they were the same as before, but Miss?Chevenix-Gore was only to inherit oncondition that she married Mr.?Hugo Trent.”

“Aha,” said Poirot. “But there is a very decided²⁷ difference there.”

“I did not approve of the clause,” said Mr.?Forbes. “And I felt bound to point out that it wasquite possible it might be contested successfully. The Court does not look upon such conditionalbequests with approval. Sir Gervase, however, was quite decided.”

“And if Miss?Chevenix-Gore (or, incidentally, Mr.?Trent) refused to comply?”

“If Mr.?Trent was not willing to marry Miss?Chevenix-Gore, then the money went to herunconditionally. But if he was willing and she refused, then the money went to him instead.”

“Odd business,” said Major Riddle.

Poirot leaned forward. He tapped the lawyer on the knee.

“But what is behind it? What was in the mind of Sir Gervase when he made that stipulation²⁸?

There must have been something very definite . . . There must, I think, have been the image ofanother man . . . a man of whom he disapproved. I think, Mr.?Forbes, that you must know who thatman was?”

“Really, M. Poirot, I have no information.”

“But you could make a guess.”

“I never guess,” said Mr.?Forbes, and his tone was scandalized.

Removing his pince-nez, he wiped them with a silk handkerchief and inquired:

“Is there anything else that you desire to know?”

“At the moment, no,” said Poirot. “Not, that is, as far as I am concerned.”

Mr.?Forbes looked as though, in his opinion, that was not very far, and bent²⁹ his attention onthe chief constable.

“Thank you, Mr.?Forbes. I think that’s all. I should like, if I may, to speak to Miss?Chevenix-Gore.”

“Certainly. I think she is upstairs with Lady Chevenix-Gore.”

“Oh, well, perhaps I’ll have a word with—what’s his name?—Burrows, first, and the familyhistory woman.”

“They’re both in the library. I will tell them.”

 

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