For instance, it does seem quite certain that Lily Kimble mentioned the clothes packed and taken away in a suit-case were not the ones Helen Halliday would herself have taken, because not only did Edith Pagett tell us that Lily said so to her, but Lily herself mentioned the fact in her letter to Dr. Kennedy. So that is one/act. Dr.
Kennedy told us that Kelvin Halliday believed that his wife was secretly drugging him, and Kelvin Halliday in his diary confirms that — so there is another fact — and a very curious fact it is, don’t you think? However, we will not go into that now.
“But I would like to point out that a great many of the assumptions you have made have been based upon what has been told you — possibly told you very plausibly.” Giles stared hard at her.
Gwenda, her colour restored, sipped coffee, and leaned across the table.
Giles said: “Let’s check up now on what three people have said to us. Take Erskine first. He says — ” “You’ve got a down on him,55 said Gwenda. “It’s a waste of time going on about him, because now he’s definitely out of it. He couldn’t have killed Lily Kimble.” Giles went on imperturbably: “He says that he met Helen on the boat going out to India and they fell in love, but that he couldn’t bring himself to leave his wife and children, and that they agreed they must say good-bye. Suppose it wasn’t quite like that. Suppose he fell desperately in love with Helen, and that it was she who wouldn’t run off with him. Supposing he threatened that if she married anyone else he would kill her.” “Most improbable,” said Gwenda.
“Things like that do happen. Remember what you overheard his wife say to him.
You put it all down to jealousy, but it may have been true. Perhaps she has had a terrible time with him where women are concerned—he may be a little bit of a sex maniac.” “I don’t believe it.” “No, because he’s attractive to women.
I think, myself, that there is something a little queer about Erskine. However, let’s go on with my case against him.
Helen breaks off her engagement to Fane and comes home and marries your father and settles down here. And then suddenly, Erskine turns up. He comes down ostensibly on a summer holiday with his wife.
That’s an odd thing to do, really. He admits he came here to see Helen again.
Now let’s take it that Erskine was the man in the drawing-room with her that day when Lily overheard her say she was afraid of him. Tm afraid of you — Fve always been afraid of you — I think you’re mad9 “And, because she’s afraid, she makes plans to go and live in Norfolk, but she’s very secretive about it. No one is to know.
No one is to know, that is, until the Erskines have left Dillmouth. So far that fits. Now we come to the fatal night. What the Hallidays were doing earlier that evening we don’t know — ” Miss Marple coughed.
“As a matter of fact, I saw Edith Pagett again. She remembers that there was early supper that night–seven o’clock–because Major Halliday was going to some meeting — Golf Club, she thinks it was, or some Parish meeting. Mrs. Halliday went out after supper.” “Right. Helen meets Erskine, by appointment, perhaps, on the beach. He is leaving the following day. Perhaps he refuses to go. He urges Helen to go away with him. She comes back here and he comes with her. Finally, in a fit of frenzy he strangles her. The next bit is as we have already agreed. He’s slightly mad, he wants Kelvin Halliday to believe it is he who has killed her. Later, Erskine buries the body. You remember, he told Gwenda that he didn’t go back to the hotel until very late because he was walking about Dillmouth.” “One wonders,” said Miss Marple, “what his wife was doing?” “Probably frenzied with jealousy,” said Gwenda. “And gave him hell when he did get in.” “That’s my reconstruction,” said Giles.