‘Just this, madame. Your husband, he wishes me to take up the investigation very seriously. He demands that I stay here, in the house, and do my utmost to get to the bottom of the matter.’
Lydia said sharply:
‘Well?’
Poirot said slowly:
‘I should not wish to accept an invitation that was not endorsed by the lady of the house.’
She said coldly:
‘Naturally I endorse my husband’s invitation.’
‘Yes, madame, but I need more than that. Do you really want me to come here?’
‘Why not?’
‘Let us be more frank. What I ask you is this: do you want the truth to come out, or not?’
‘Naturally.’
Poirot sighed.
‘Must you return me these conventional replies?’
Lydia said:
‘I am a conventional woman.’
Then she bit her lip, hesitated, and said:
‘Perhaps it is better to speak frankly. Of course I understand you! The position is not a pleasant one. My father-in-law has been brutally murdered, and unless a case can be made out against the most likely suspect—Horbury—for robbery and murder—and it seems that it cannot—then it comes to this—one of his own family killed him. To bring that person to justice will mean bringing shame and disgrace on us all…If I am to speak honestly I must say that I do not want this to happen.’
Poirot said:
‘You are content for the murderer to escape unpunished?’
‘There are probably several undiscovered murderers at large in the world.’
‘That, I grant you.’
‘Does one more matter, then?’
Poirot said:
‘And what about the other members of the family? The innocent?’
She stared.
‘What about them?’
‘Do you realize that if it turns out as you hope, no one will ever know. The shadow will remain on all alike…’
She said uncertainly:
‘I hadn’t thought of that.’
Poirot said: