“A bath? No, of course I didn’t! I’d had a bathe only an hour earlier!”

Hercule Poirot said:

“Thank you. That is all.”

“But look here. Oh—” the other paused irresolutely.

Poirot withdrew, gently closing the door.

Kenneth Marshall said:

“The fellow’s crazy!”

VI

Just outside the bar Poirot encountered Mr. Gardener. He was carrying two cocktails and was clearly on his way to where Mrs. Gardener was ensconced with her jig-saw.

He smiled at Poirot in genial fashion.

“Care to join us, M. Poirot?”

Poirot shook his head. He said:

“What did you think of the inquest, Mr. Gardener?”

Mr. Gardener lowered his voice. He said:

“Seemed kind of indeterminate to me. Your police, I gather, have got something up their sleeves.”

“It is possible,” said Hercule Poirot.

Mr. Gardener lowered his voice still further.

“I shall be glad to get Mrs. Gardener away. She’s a very, very sensitive woman, and this affair has got on her nerves. She’s very highly strung.”

Hercule Poirot said:

“Will you permit me, Mr. Gardener, to ask you one question?”

“Why, certainly, M. Poirot. Delighted to assist in any way I can.”

Hercule Poirot said:

“You are a man of the world—a man, I think, of considerable acumen. What, frankly, was your opinion of the late Mrs. Marshall?”

Mr. Gardener’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He glanced cautiously round and lowered his voice.

“Well, M. Poirot, I’ve heard a few things that have been kind of going around, if you get me, especially among the women.” Poirot nodded. “But if you ask me I’ll tell you my candid opinion and that is that that woman was pretty much of a darned fool!”

Hercule Poirot said thoughtfully:

“Now that is very interesting.”

VII

Rosamund Darnley said: “So it’s my turn, is it?”

“Pardon?”

She laughed.

“The other day the Chief Constable held this inquisition. You sat by. Today, I think, you are conducting your own unofficial inquiry. I’ve been watching you. First Mrs. Redfern, then I caught a glimpse of you through the lounge window where Mrs. Gardener is doing her hateful jig-saw puzzle. Now it’s my turn.”

Hercule Poirot sat down beside her. They were on Sunny Ledge. Below them the sea showed a deep-glowing green. Farther out it was a pale dazzling blue.

Poirot said:

“You are very intelligent, Mademoiselle. I have thought so ever since I arrived here. It would be a pleasure to discuss this business with you.”

Rosamund Darnley said softly:

“You want to know what I think about the whole thing?”

“It would be most interesting.”

Rosamund said:

“I think it’s really very simple. The clue is in the woman’s past.”

“The past? Not the present?”