Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie Page B

Miss Warren scrapped with him a lot, she was at a tiresome age—just off to school, I believe, but he was quite fond of her and she of him. She was treated, you know, with particular tenderness and consideration in that house. You may have heard why. She was badly injured when she was a child—injured by Mrs. Crale in a kind of maniacal fit of rage. That rather shows, doesn’t it, that she was a pretty uncontrolled sort of person? To go for a child—and maim her for life!”
    â€œIt might show,” said Poirot thoughtfully, “that Angela Warren had good reason to bear a grudge against Caroline Crale.”
    â€œPerhaps—but not against Amyas Crale. And anyway Mrs. Crale was devoted to her young sister—gave her a home when her parents died, and, as I say, treated her with special affection—spoiled her badly, so they say. The girl was obviously fond of Mrs. Crale. She was kept away from the trial and sheltered from it all as far as possible—Mrs. Crale was very insistent about that, I believe. But the girl was terribly upset and longed to be taken to see her sister in prison. Caroline Crale wouldn’t agree. She said thatsort of thing might injure a girl’s mentality for life. She arranged for her to go to school abroad.”
    He added:
    â€œMiss Warren’s turned out a very distinguished woman. Traveller to weird places. Lectures at the Royal Geographical—all that sort of thing.”
    â€œAnd no one remembers the trial?”
    â€œWell, it’s a different name for one thing. They hadn’t even the same maiden name. They had the same mother but different fathers. Mrs. Crale’s name was Spalding.”
    â€œThis Miss Williams, was she the child’s governess, or Angela Warren’s?”
    â€œAngela’s. There was a nurse for the child—but she used to do a few little lessons with Miss Williams every day, I believe.”
    â€œWhere was the child at the time?”
    â€œShe’d gone with the nurse to pay a visit to her grandmother. A Lady Tressillian. A widow lady who’d lost her own two little girls and who was devoted to this kid.”
    Poirot nodded. “I see.”
    Hale continued:
    â€œAs to the movements of the other people on the day of the murder, I can give them to you.
    â€œMiss Greer sat on the terrace near the library window after breakfast. There, as I say, she overheard the quarrel between Crale and his wife. After that she accompanied Crale down to the Battery and sat for him until lunch time with a couple of breaks to ease her muscles.
    â€œPhilip Blake was in the house after breakfast, and overheardpart of the quarrel. After Crale and Miss Greer went off, he read the paper until his brother telephoned him. Thereupon he went down to the shore to meet his brother. They walked together up the path again past the Battery garden. Miss Greer had just gone up to the house to fetch a pullover as she felt chilly and Mrs. Crale was with her husband discussing arrangements for Angela’s departure to school.”
    â€œAh, an amicable interview.”
    â€œWell, no, not amicable. Crale was fairly shouting at her, I understand. Annoyed at being bothered with domestic details. I suppose she wanted to get things straightened up if there was going to be a break.”
    Poirot nodded.
    Hale went on:
    â€œThe two brothers exchanged a few words with Amyas Crale. Then Miss Greer reappeared and took up her position, and Crale picked up his brush again, obviously wanting to get rid of them. They took the hint and went up to the house. It was when they were at the Battery, by the way, that Amyas Crale complained all the beer down there was hot and his wife promised to send him down some iced beer.”
    â€œAha!”
    â€œExactly—Aha! Sweet as sugar she was about it. They went up to the house and sat on the terrace outside. Mrs. Crale and Angela Warren brought them out beer there.
    â€œLater,