‘There was no hope of his having children of his own?’

‘No. There was a still-born child about a year after his marriage. The doctors told Lady Chevenix-Gore that she would never be able to have another child. About two years later he adopted Ruth.’

‘And who was Mademoiselle Ruth? How did they come to settle upon her?’

‘She was, I believe, the child of a distant connection.’

‘That I had guessed,’ said Poirot. He looked up at the wall which was hung with family portraits. ‘One can see that she was of the same blood—the nose, the line of the chin. It repeats itself on these walls many times.’

‘She inherits the temper too,’ said Mr Forbes dryly.

‘So I should imagine. How did she and her adopted father get on?’

‘Much as you might imagine. There was a fierce clash of wills more than once. But in spite of these quarrels I believe there was also an underlying harmony.’

‘Nevertheless, she caused him a good deal of anxiety?’

‘Incessant anxiety. But I can assure you not to the point of causing him to take his own life.’

‘Ah, that, no,’ agreed Poirot. ‘One does not blow one’s brains out because one has a headstrong daughter! And so mademoiselle inherits! Sir Gervase, he never thought of altering his will?’

‘Ahem!’ Mr Forbes coughed to hide a little discomposure. ‘As a matter of fact, I took instructions from Sir Gervase on my arrival here (two days ago, that is to say) as to the drafting of a new will.’

‘What’s this?’ Major Riddle hitched his chair a little closer. ‘You didn’t tell us this.’

Mr Forbes said quickly:

‘You merely asked me what the terms of Sir Gervase’s will were. I gave you the information for which you asked. The new will was not even properly drawn up—much less signed.’

‘What were its provisions? They may be some guide to Sir Gervase’s state of mind.’

‘In the main, they were the same as before, but Miss Chevenix-Gore was only to inherit on condition that she married Mr Hugo Trent.’

‘Aha,’ said Poirot. ‘But there is a very decided difference there.’

‘I did not approve of the clause,’ said Mr Forbes. ‘And I felt bound to point out that it was quite possible it might be contested successfully. The Court does not look upon such conditional bequests with approval. Sir Gervase, however, was quite decided.’

‘And if Miss Chevenix-Gore (or, incidentally, Mr Trent) refused to comply?’

‘If Mr Trent was not willing to marry Miss Chevenix-Gore, then the money went to her unconditionally. But if he was willing and she refused, then the money went to him instead.’

‘Odd business,’ said Major Riddle.

Poirot leaned forward. He tapped the lawyer on the knee.

‘But what is behind it? What was in the mind of Sir Gervase when he made that stipulation? There must have been something very definite…There must, I think, have been the image of another man…a man of whom he disapproved. I think, Mr Forbes, that you must know who that man was?’