“Nonsense,” said Mrs. Oliver. “That’s simply because there are lots of crimes you people at Scotland Yard never find out. Now if you had a woman there—”
“As a matter of fact we have—”
“Yes, those dreadful policewomen in funny hats who bother people in parks! I mean a woman at the head of things. Women know about crime.”
“They’re usually very successful criminals,” said Superintendent Battle. “Keep their heads well. It’s amazing how they’ll brazen things out.”
Mr. Shaitana laughed gently.
“Poison is a woman’s weapon,” he said. “There must be many secret women poisoners—never found out.”
“Of course there are,” said Mrs. Oliver happily, helping herself lavishly to a mousse of foie gras.
“A doctor, too, has opportunities,” went on Mr. Shaitana thoughtfully.
“I protest,” cried Dr. Roberts. “When we poison our patients it’s entirely by accident.” He laughed heartily.
“But if I were to commit a crime,” went on Mr. Shaitana.
He stopped, and something in that pause compelled attention.
All faces were turned to him.
“I should make it very simple, I think. There’s always an accident—a shooting accident, for instance—or the domestic kind of accident.”
Then he shrugged his shoulders and picked up his wineglass.
“But who am I to pronounce—with so many experts present….”
He drank. The candlelight threw a red shade from the wine onto his face with its waxed moustache, its little imperial, its fantastic eyebrows….
There was a momentary silence.
Mrs. Oliver said:
“Is it twenty-to or twenty past? An angel passing … My feet aren’t crossed—it must be a black angel!”
Three
A GAME OF BRIDGE
When the compa
ny returned to the drawing room a bridge table had been set out. Coffee was handed round.
“Who plays bridge?” asked Mr. Shaitana. “Mrs. Lorrimer, I know. And Dr. Roberts. Do you play, Miss Meredith?”
“Yes. I’m not frightfully good, though.”
“Excellent. And Major Despard? Good. Supposing you four play here.”
“Thank goodness there’s to be bridge,” said Mrs. Lorrimer in an aside to Poirot. “I’m one of the worst bridge fiends that ever lived. It’s growing on me. I simply will not go out to dinner now if there’s no bridge afterwards! I just fall asleep. I’m ashamed of myself, but there it is.”
They cut for partners. Mrs. Lorrimer was partnered with Anne Meredith against Major Despard and Dr. Roberts.
“Women against men,” said Mrs. Lorrimer as she took her seat and began shuffling the cards in an expert manner. “The blue cards, don’t you think, partner? I’m a forcing two.”
“Mind you win,” said Mrs. Oliver, her feminist feelings rising. “Show the men they can’t have it all their own way.”