Silence in Court (12 page)

Since the post mortem revealed that at least five or six tabloids were administered, these must have been added between seven o'clock, when Nurse Brayle went out leaving the mixture on the bathroom shelf, and the time, approximately 8.45, when Miss Silence fetched it. During this period Mr. Harland and Miss Silence separated and went to their respective rooms—7.30 to 8. Miss King was in her room between 7 and 8. Mrs. Hull did not come home till 8 o'clock. Any one of the first three could have walked along the corridor, entered the bathroom, and added tabloids to the mixture, but according to Ellen Bridling the time during which this could have taken place must be considerably narrowed down. She states that from seven o'clock onwards she sat with her door open, and that no one could have come along the passage without being seen or heard by her, until half past seven, when she went in to see if Mrs. Maquisten wanted anything and then went upstairs to have a word with Miss King. They were together in Miss King's bedroom until the dinner-bell rang, when she came back to her own room and Miss King went on down to the dining-room. Later on, when Miss King had gone up to change after dinner, Ellen states that when she herself came out of Mrs. Maquisten's room she walked to the end of the corridor and there heard Miss King call out to Mrs. Hull, “I'm going down, Nora.” After which she saw Miss King come downstairs and, waiting, walked back with her as far as her own room. She saw Miss King go into Mrs. Maquisten's room. From this it seems that Miss King had no possible opportunity of tampering with the sleeping-draught.

The times when the draught might have been tampered with by one of the relations are now narrowed to two periods, one between 7.30 and 8 o'clock, and the other, very short indeed, round about 8.40 to 8.45, after the party in the dining-room had broken up. As regards the first period, either Mr. Harland or Miss Silence could have reached the bathroom and added something to the draught.

As regards the second short period, Miss Silence, Mr. Harland, and Mrs. Hull could have done so.

McGillivray frowned at his notes. For certain reasons he considered the second period the more likely time of the two. Until those four young people met round the dinner-table they would not have been certain that Mrs. Maquisten had not told one of them who it was she was about to cut out of her will. But Molly's evidence made it clear that the subject had been discussed with lively interest at dinner. If the proposed alteration of the will provided the motive for the crime, it seemed improbable that the draught would have been actually tampered with unless the guilty person had some reasonable assurance that he would not immediately be suspected. He considered that a fair conclusion. But this second period was very short to admit of the abstracting and dissolving of the tabloids. It could have been done, but he found it difficult to believe that it had been done. No, no, the crime had been thought out beforehand—perhaps some hours beforehand—and the tabloids abstracted and dissolved during the first period between 7.30 and 8 o'clock, and added to the draught during the second period when those four people had left the dinner-table, and were arriving one by one in Mrs. Maquisten's bedroom, Miss Silence first—she could have had the mixture ready, perhaps in the bathroom cupboard. She had ample time to slip in and tip the dissolved tabloids into the mixture left by Nurse Brayle. There was actually a second medicine glass in the cupboard which could have been used, washed, and put back again. It showed no fingerprints, but nowadays everybody knew enough to avoid leaving fingerprints. The glass from which the draught had been taken showed no fingerprints except those of Miss Silence, but since she admittedly washed it and put it away, this cannot be considered as evidence against her. All the same, she had a very good opportunity of tampering with the draught.

So had Mr. Harland. But on other grounds he does not seem so likely. He was apparently on easier and more affectionate terms with his aunt that evening than any of the other three. And then, he had to use a crutch. Mrs. Maquisten and Miss Silence were in the next room. He would have had to risk being heard in the bathroom.

Mrs. Hull was not in the house during the first period. Miss King accompanied her when she went upstairs after dinner, but was ready first and came down alone. Ellen Bridling was then on the landing. Mr. Harland was a minute or two behind Miss King, and Mrs. Hull a minute or two behind him. She would have had to be as quick as lightning, and she would be taking an extraordinary risk.

Miss King had no opportunity of tampering with the glass. Ellen Bridling's statement clears her.

McGillivray continued to frown at his notes. When a considerable time had elapsed he said,

“Imphm.”

Timetable drawn up by McGillivray

2.15 (approx.)—Molly takes letter to Mrs. Maquisten.

2.45—Carey Silence returns.

2.45 to 3.5 (approx.)—with Mrs. Maquisten. Aylwin's office rung up.

3.5 to 3.30—Carey Silence to her room. Later to study.

3.30 to 4.15—Hcod, Aylwin's head clerk, with Mrs. Maquisten.

4.30 to 4.50—Mrs. Hull with Mrs. Maquisten.

5.15 to 5.25 (approx.)—Honor King with Mrs. Maquisten.

6.0 to 6.30—Harland with Mrs. Maquisten.

6.30 to 7.30—Harland and Silence together in study.

7.0—Nurse Brayle goes out, leaving sleeping-draught on bathroom shelf.

7.0 to 7.30—King in own room. Ellen in own room, immediately opposite Mrs. Maquisten's, with door wide open. Harland and Silence in study. Mrs. Hull out.

7.30 to 8.0—Harland own room. Silence own room. King own room. Ellen with King. Hull out.

8.0 (approx.)—Hull returns.

8.5 to 8.37 (approx.)—Harland, Silence, King, Hull at dinner.

8.37—Hull and King to change. Silence to Mrs. M. Ellen there.

8.40—Ellen to landing. Sees King come down.

8.43 to 8.45—King, Harland, and Hull to Mrs. M. at short intervals in that order.

8.45—Molly brings up coffee. Silence sent for sleeping-draught.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Mr. Hood to see you, sir.”

McGillivray looked up and saw a slight, pale person with smooth dark hair receding from the temples. The chin receded a little too. The born underling, but no doubt efficient at his job—painstaking. Beneath a composed manner McGillivray thought him nervous. He said,

“Sit down, Mr. Hood. Mr. Aylwin is not back yet, I suppose?”

Mr. Hood sat down.

“No, he is not back. But he is on his way—I am expecting him at the office tomorrow.”

McGillivray leaned back in his chair.

“Ah, well, ye can be more use to us than he can, I expect. Perhaps ye'd be so good as to give me the substance of what passed between yerself and Mrs. Maquisten on the afternoon of the sixteenth.”

Mr. Hood looked apprehensive.

“Really, Inspector, I'm not sure—communications from a client—” His voice petered out.

McGillivray fixed him with a bright blue eye.

“Now, Mr. Hood—yer scruples do ye credit, but this is a murder case.”

Ernest Hood started.

“Inspector!”

“Ay—there's no doubt about it. Murder or suicide—it would be one of the two, and there's nothing to suggest that it would be suicide. No—murder is what it is, and that being the case, ye can see for yerself that the interview ye had with the deceased is of the very firrst importance. Somewhere between 2.15 and 2.30 she received a letter which put her in a great state of anger. At 2.45 she was telling Miss Silence that she had been deceived, and that she meant to cut somebody out of her will. At approximately 3 o'clock Miss Silence was ringing up your office, and between 3.30 and 4.0 o'clock ye were closeted with Mrs. Maquisten. No doubt ye were receiving her instructions with regard to the proposed alteration in her will?”

Mr. Hood looked embarrassed. He said,

“Well—yes—” And then, “I hardly know if I ought—”

“I think ye'll just have to.”

Mr. Hood ran a finger round inside his collar.

“Well, if you say so, Inspector—” He cleared his throat. “I would prefer to see Mr. Aylwin first.”

McGillivray had no doubt of it. He said easily,

“Ah, well, we can't always be doing what we preferr. How did ye find Mrs. Maquisten?”

“Oh, very angry, Inspector.” Mr. Hood had the air of shrinking from the recollection. “She really had a very violent temper, but I don't think I ever saw her so much put out before.”

“What did she say?”

Mr. Hood considered.

“Well, she said a great deal. I couldn't undertake to repeat her exact words. She was angry because Mr. Aylwin was away—and very angry because he had taken the key of the safe so that it was not possible for me to bring her latest will along with me. She had only made it the week before, but she wanted to have it destroyed without the least delay.”

“Did she often make a new will, Mr. Hood?”

“Oh, yes, she was always making them. Or if it wasn't a new will it would be a codicil—a little on to one legacy and a little off another—just as you might say shifting the money around, but nothing that really made very much of a change, if you know what I mean. And in the next will she'd generally put it back where it was before.”

“Imphm.… And the will she made last week—the one that's locked up in the safe—would that be just the same as all the others?”

As the talk proceeded, Mr. Hood's manner had become tinged with importance. Now he hesitated again.

“Well, I hardly know—but perhaps—no, I wouldn't say that. You see, Miss Silence came into it.”

“Perhaps ye'll be so good as to explain.”

Mr. Hood explained.

“There was no mention of Miss Silence in any of the previous wills. I believe there had been a family quarrel, but when Miss Silence came here on a visit—about a fortnight ago—Mrs. Maquisten took a very great fancy to her.” He continued to hesitate. “It's very difficult indeed, Inspector—but I suppose there's no harm in my telling you—because of course the terms of the will won't be any secret now—I mean Mr. Aylwin will be acquainting the family with them.”

“Imphm. Ye had better continue.”

Mr. Hood cleared his throat.

“Oh, well, I suppose—in the circumstances—As a matter of fact under that last will—the one that will be operative now—Miss Silence comes in for a very considerable legacy.

“And what would ye call very considerable?”

Mr. Hood gazed at him solemnly and said,

“Fifty thousand pounds.”

A very faint whistle escaped McGillivray.

“There was also a bequest of jewelry—a very valuable set of rubies and diamonds worth, I believe, about ten thousand pounds.”

“All this on a week's acquaintance?”

“Mrs. Maquisten was, I believe, very much attached to Miss Silence's grandmother. Miss Silence resembles her. Mrs. Maquisten remarked on the likeness several times in my presence whilst her instructions for these bequests were being taken.”

McGillivray plunged into thought. Emerging presently, he addressed the waiting Mr. Hood.

“To come back to yer interview with the deceased on the Monday afternoon. Did she say anything to indicate that she intended to revoke any particular bequest?”

Mr. Hood got out a handkerchief and wiped his brow.

“Really, Inspector, it's very difficult—I hardly know what to say—”

“Ye can give me a plain answer. It will save my time and yours.”

The handkerchief was rolled between nervous hands.

“With every desire to be of assistance, it is very difficult for me—very delicate—but I will do my best. Mrs. Maquisten made it quite clear that she wished to make a new will. The one she had made only the week before was to be destroyed.”

“She gave ye instructions about the new will?”

“In a way—”

“What d'ye mean by that?”

Hood hesitated.

“Well, she had a list of her securities and of her jewels. She made a division of them into four main parts, but she did not attach any names to the bequests. She told me the names would be filled in the next day. She had in her hand the draft copy of her last will.”

“How did she get it?” said McGillivray sharply.

Mr. Hood looked surprised.

“Oh, she could walk if she wanted to—enough to get about the room. Or her maid might have brought it to her. She has been with her a long time, I believe.”

“Well, go on. She had the draft—what were ye going to say about it?”

Mr. Hood looked very unhappy.

“Well, I suppose I had better tell you. She said that all the minor legacies were to stand—servants, charities, small bequests to friends—but the big legacies, the ones to the near relatives, were to be divided into four portions instead of into five as in the last will.”

“Imphm—and who would the five be?”

“Under the last will Mr. Robert Maquisten, Mrs. Hull, Miss King, Mr. Harland, and Miss Silence.”

“So that one of those five was to be dropped. But she didn't say which?”

“No, she didn't say which.”

Ever so faintly Mr. Hood laid a stress on the word “say.” It might have been by a nervous inadvertence, or by an equally nervous intent.

McGillivray took him up sharply.

“I think ye know something, Mr. Hood, and I'll thank ye to tell me what it is.”

The beaded brow was mopped again.

“She didn't name any names, but there was something she said—”

“Ye'd best let me have it.”

“It was when she was saying that she had been deceived.”

“She said that she had been deceived?”

“She kept on saying it. She was very angry and very much upset, and she said, ‘But I ought to have known—it wasn't for want of being warned. Ellen warned me, but I didn't take any notice'—that's the old maid, Inspector. So I said, trying to calm her down, ‘Well, it's not too late, Mrs. Maquisten,' and she said, ‘Old friends are best. Ellen's faithful—she warned me. Up with the rocket and down with the stick,' she said. I thought that was a queer thing for her to say, and I suppose I looked surprised, because she said, ‘That'll never happen to you, will it? You're one of the steady-going ones. How would you like to be a rocket? A stranger for a week, an heiress for a week, and then down with the stick and a stranger again.' Well, Inspector, you can't help your thoughts—and what was I to think?”