Chapter 6

Lennox Boynton came into the room with a quick, resolute¹ step. Had he been there, Dr Gerardwould have been surprised at the change in the man. The apathy² was gone. His bearing was alert—although he was plainly nervous. His eyes had a tendency to shift rapidly from point to pointabout the room.

‘Good morning, M. Boynton.’ Poirot rose and bowed ceremoniously. Lennox respondedsomewhat awkwardly. ‘I much appreciate your giving me this interview.’

Lennox Boynton said rather uncertainly: ‘Er—Colonel Carbury said it would be a good thing—advised it—some formalities—he said.’

‘Please sit down, M. Boynton.’

Lennox sat down on the chair lately vacated by Lady Westholme. Poirot went onconversationally:

‘This has been a great shock to you, I am afraid?’

‘Yes, of course. Well, no, perhaps not…We always knew that my mother’s heart was notstrong.’

‘Was it wise, under those circumstances, to allow her to undertake such an arduous³ expedition?’

Lennox Boynton raised his head. He spoke⁴ not without a certain sad dignity.

‘My mother, M.—er—Poirot, made her own decisions. If she made up her mind to anything itwas no good our opposing her.’

He drew in his breath sharply as he said the last words. His face suddenly went rather white.

‘I know well,’ admitted Poirot, ‘that elderly ladies are sometimes headstrong.’

Lennox said irritably⁵:

‘What is the purpose of all this? That is what I want to know. Why have all these formalitiesarisen?’

‘Perhaps you do not realize, Mr Boynton, that in cases of sudden and unexplained deaths,formalities must necessarily arise.’

Lennox said sharply: ‘What do you mean by “unexplained”?’

Poirot shrugged⁶ his shoulders.

‘There is always the question to be considered: Is a death natural—or might it perhaps besuicide?’

‘Suicide?’ Lennox Boynton stared.

Poirot said lightly:

‘You, of course, would know best about such possibilities. Colonel Carbury, naturally, is in thedark. It is necessary for him to decide whether to order an inquiry—an autopsy—all the rest of it.

As I was on the spot and as I have much experience of these matters, he suggested that I shouldmake a few inquiries⁷ and advise him upon the matter. Naturally he does not wish to cause youinconvenience if it can be helped.’

Lennox Boynton said angrily: ‘I shall wire to our Consul⁸ in Jerusalem.’

Poirot said non-committally: ‘You are quite within your rights in doing so, of course.’

There was a pause. Then Poirot said, spreading out his hands:

‘If you object to answering my questions—’

Lennox Boynton said quickly: ‘Not at all. Only—it seems—all so unnecessary.’

‘I comprehend. I comprehend perfectly⁹. But it is all very simple, really. A matter, as they say, ofroutine. Now, on the afternoon of your mother’s death, M. Boynton, I believe you left the camp atPetra and went for a walk?’

‘Yes. We all went—with the exception of my mother and my youngest sister.’

‘Your mother was then sitting in the mouth of her cave?’

‘Yes, just outside it. She sat there every afternoon.’

‘Quite so. You started—when?’

‘Soon after three, I should say.’

‘You returned from your walk—when?’

‘I really couldn’t say what time it was—four o’clock, five o’clock, perhaps.’

‘About an hour or two hours after you set out?’

‘Yes—about that, I should think.’

‘Did you pass anyone on your way back?’

‘Did I what?’

‘Pass anyone. Two ladies sitting on a rock, for instance.’

‘I don’t know. Yes, I think I did.’

‘You were, perhaps, too absorbed in your thoughts to notice?’

‘Yes, I was.’

‘Did you speak to your mother when you got back to the camp?’

‘Yes—yes, I did.’

‘She did not then complain of feeling ill?’

‘No—no, she seemed perfectly all right.’

‘May I ask what exactly passed between you?’

Lennox paused a minute.

‘She said I had come back soon. I said, yes, I had.’ He paused again in an effort ofconcentration. ‘I said it was hot. She—she asked me the time—said her wrist-watch had stopped. Itook it from her, wound it up, set it, and put it back on her wrist.’

Poirot interrupted gently: ‘And what time was it?’

‘Eh?’ said Lennox.

‘What time was it when you set the hands of the wrist-watch?’

‘Oh, I see. It—it was twenty-five minutes to five.’

‘So, you do know exactly the time you returned to the camp!’ said Poirot gently.

Lennox flushed.

‘Yes, what a fool I am! I’m sorry, M. Poirot, my wits are all astray, I’m afraid. All this worry—’

Poirot chimed in quickly: ‘Oh! I understand—I understand perfectly! It is all of the mostdisquieting! And what happened next?’

‘I asked my mother if she wanted anything. A drink—tea, coffee, etc. She said no. Then I wentto the marquee. None of the servants seemed to be about, but I found some soda¹⁰ water and drankit. I was thirsty. I sat there reading some old numbers of the Saturday Evening Post. I think I musthave dozed¹¹ off.’

‘Your wife joined you in the marquee?’

‘Yes, she came in not long after.’

‘And you did not see your mother again alive?’

‘No.’

‘She did not seem in any way agitated¹² or upset when you were talking to her?’

‘No, she was exactly as usual.’

‘She did not refer to any trouble or annoyance¹³ with one of the servants?’

Lennox stared.

‘No, nothing at all.’

‘And that is all you can tell me?’

‘I am afraid so—yes.’

‘Thank you, Mr Boynton.’

Poirot inclined his head as a sign that the interview was over. Lennox did not seem very willingto depart. He stood hesitating by the door. ‘Er—there’s nothing else?’

‘Nothing. Perhaps you would be so good as to ask your wife to come here?’

Lennox went slowly out. On the pad beside him Poirot wrote L.B. 4.35 p.m.

 

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