see what they can be. I know nothing about
208
this Yewtree Lodge affair. I was actually in
the Isle of Man when Mr. Rex Fortescue was
killed.”
“You arrived here very shortly afterwards,
didn’t you, Mr. Wright? You had a telegram,
I believe, from Miss Elaine Fortescue.”
“Our police know everything, do they not?
Yes, Elaine sent for me. I came, of course, at
‘? once.”
“And you are, I understand, shortly to be
married?”
“Quite right. Inspector Neele. You have no
objections, I hope.”
“It is entirely Miss Fortescue’s business. I
understand the attachment between you dates
from some time back? Six or seven months
ago, in fact?”
“Quite correct.”
“You and Miss Fortescue became engaged
to be married. Mr. Fortescue refused to give
his consent, informed you that if his daughter
married against his wishes he did not propose
to give her an income of any kind. Whereupon, I understand, you broke off the engagement
and departed.”
Gerald Wright smiled rather pityingly.
“A very crude way of putting things,
Inspector Neele. Actually, I was victimised
209
for my political opinions. Rex Fortescue was
the worst type of capitalist. Naturally I could
not sacrifice my political beliefs and convictions
for money.”
“But you have no objections to marrying a
wife who has just inherited 50,000 pounds ”
Gerald Wright gave a thin satisfied smile.
“Not at all. Inspector Neele. The money
will be used for the benefit of the community.
But surely you did not come here to discuss
with me either my financial circumstances- or my political convictions?”
“No, Mr. Wright. I wanted to talk to you
about a simple question of fact. As you are
aware, Mrs. Adele Fortescue died as a result
of cyanide poisoning on the afternoon of
November the 5th.
“Since you were in the neighbourhood of
Yewtree Lodge on that afternoon I thought it
possible that you might have seen or heard
something that had a bearing on the case.”
“And what leads you to believe that I was,
as you call it, in the neighbourhood of
Yewtree Lodge at the time?”
“You left this hotel at a quarter past four
on that particular afternoon, Mr. Wright. On
leaving the hotel you walked down the road
in the direction of Yewtree Lodge. It seems
210
natural to suppose that you were going
there.”
“I thought of it,” said Gerald Wright, “but
I considered that it would be a rather pointless
thing to do. I already had an arrangement
to meet Miss Fortescue–Elaine–at the hotel
at six o’clock. I went for a walk along a lane
that branches off from the main road and
returned to the Golf Hotel just before six
o’clock. Elaine did not keep her appointment.
Quite naturally, under the circumstances.”
“Anybody see you on this walk of yours, Mr. Wright?”
“A few cars passed me, I think, on the road.
I did not see anyone I knew, if that’s what
you mean. The lane was little more than a
cart-track and too muddy for cars.”
“So between the time you left the hotel at a
quarter past four until six o’clock when you
arrived back again, I’ve only your words for
it as to where you were?”
Gerald Wright continued to smile in a
superior fashion.
“Very distressing for us both. Inspector,
but there it is.”
Inspector Neele said softly:
“Then if someone said they looked out of a
landing window and saw you in the garden of
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Yewtree Lodge at about 4.35—-” he paused
and left the sentence unfinished.
Gerald Wright raised his eyebrows and
shook his head.
“Visibility must have been very bad by
then,” he said. “I think it would be difficult
for anyone to be sure.”
“Are you acquainted with Mr. Vivian
Dubois, who is also staying here?”
“Dubois. Dubois? No, I don’t think so. Is
that the tall dark man with a pretty taste in
suede shoes?”
“Yes. He also was out for a walk that afternoon, and he also left the hotel and walked
past Yewtree Lodge. You did not notice him
in the road by any chance?”
“No. No. I can’t say I did.”
Gerald Wright looked for the first time
faintly worried. Inspector Neele said