Christie,Agatha - Murder At Hazelmore.doc
Page 6
you can't have previous engagements, and when invi-tations
are showered on you it's a bit awkward. They're
exceedingly kind, hospitable people, but a bit too hos-pitable
for English ideas."
"The Colonial touch," said the Inspector.
"Yes, I suppose so."
"You've no reason to think they were previously
accquainted with Captain Trevelyan?"
"Sure they weren't."
"You seem very positive?"
"Joe would have told me."
"And you don't think their motive could have been--well--to
scrape acquaintance with the Captain?"
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Murder at Hazelmoor
This was clearly a new idea to the Major. He pondered
over it br some minutes.
"Well, I never thought of that. They were very gushing
to him, certainly. Not that they got any change out of
Joe. But no, I think it was just their usual manner. Over
friendly, you know, like Colonials are," added the Super
Insular soldier.
"I see. Now, as to the house itself. Captain Trevelyan
built that, I understand?"
"Yes."
"And nobody else has ever lived in it? I mean, it's not
been let before?"
"Never."
"Then it doesn't seem as though it could be anything
in the house itself that was the attraetion. It's a puzzle.
Ten to one it's got nothing to do with the case, but it
just struck me as an odd coincidence. This house that
Captain Trevelyan took, Hazelmoor, whose property was
that?"
"Miss Larpent's. Middle-aged woman, she's gone to a
boarding house at Cheltenham for the winter. Does every
year. Usually shuts the house up, but lets it if she can,
which isn't often."
There seemed nothing promising there. The Inspector
shook his head in a discouraged fashion.
"Williamsons were the agents, I understand?" he said.
"Yes."
"Their office is in Exhampton?"
"Next door to Walters & Kirkwood."
"Ah! then, perhaps, if you don't mind, Major, we might
just drop in on our way."
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Agatha Christie
"Not at all. You won't find Kirkwood at hi office before
ten anyway. You know what lawyers are."
"Then, shall we go?"
The Major, who had finished his breakt4t some time
ago, nodded assent and rose.
5o
7. The Will
A N alert looking young man rose to receive them in the
office of Messrs. Williamson.
"Good morning, Major Burnaby."
"Morning."
"Terrible business, this," said the young man chattily.
"Not been such a thing in Exhampton for years."
He spoke with gusto and the Major winced.
"This is Inspector Narracott," he said.
"Oh! yes," said the young man, pleasurably excited. "I want some information that I think you can give
me," said the Inspector. "I understand that you put through
this let of Sittaford House."
"To Mrs. Willet? Yes, we did."
"Can you give me full details, please, of how that came
about. Did the lady apply personally, or by letter?"
"By letter. She wrote, let me see--" He opened a
drawer and turned up a file. "Yes, from the Carlton
Hotel, London."
"Did she mention Sittaford House by name?"
"No, she merely said she wanted to rent a house for
the winter, it must be right on Dartmoor and have at
least eight bedrooms. Being near a railway station or a
town was of no consequence."
"Was Sittaford House on your books?"
"No, it was not. But as a matter of fact it was the only
house in the neighborhood that at all fulfilled the re51
Agatha C hristie
"Iqot at all. You won't find Ki..
teo anyway. You know, what l'qrkwood at his offie% be
"Then, shall we go?'
awyers are."
The Major, who had finishet,,
tg0, aodded assent and rose. d his brealkfast soMe
7. The Will
A N alert looking young man rose to receive them in the
office of Messrs. Williar0son.
"Good norning, Major Burnaby."
"Morniag."
"Terrible business, this," said the young man chattily.
"Not beer such a thing in Exhampton for years."
He spoke with gusto and the Major winced.
"This is Inspector Narracott," he said.
"Oh! yes," said the yottng man, pleasurably excited. "I want some information that I think you can give
me," said the Inspector. "I understand that you put through
this let of $ittaford House."
"To Mrs. Willet? Yes, we did."
"Can yot give me full details, please, of how that came about. Did the lady apply personally, or by letter?"
"By letter. She wrote, let me see--" He opened a
drawer and turned up a file. "Yes, from the Carlton
Hotel, London."
"Did she mention Sittaford House by name?"
"No, she merely said she wanted to rent a house for
the winter, it must be right on Dartmoor and have at
least eight bedrooms. Beiog near a railway station or a
town was of no consequence-"
"Was Sittaford House or your books?"
"No, it Was not. But as a matter of fact it was the only
house in the neighborhood that at all fulfilled the re,.
Agatha Christie
quirements. The lady mentioned in her letter that she
would be willing to go to twelve guineas, and in these
circumstances I thought it worth while writing to Captain
Trevelyan and asking whether he would consider letting.
He replied in the affirmative, and we fixed the thing up."
"Without Mrs. Willett seeing the house?"
"She agreed to take it without seeing it, and signed
the agreement. Then she came down here for one day,
drove up to Sittaford, saw Captain Trevelyan, arranged
with him about plate and linen, etc. and saw over the
house."
"She was quite satisfied?"
"She came in and said she was delighted with it."
"And what did you think?" asked Inspector Narracott,
eyeing him keenly.
The young man shrugged his shoulders.
"You learn never to be surprised at anything in the
house business," he said.
On this note of philosophy they left, the Inspector
thanking the young man for his help.
"Not at all, a pleasure, I'm sure."
He accompanied them politely to the door.
The offices of Messrs. Walters & Kirkwood were, as
Major Burnaby had said, next door to the estate agents.
On reaching there, they were told that Mr. Kirkwood
had just arrived and they were shown into his room.
Mr. Kirkwood was an elderly man with a benign
expression. He was a native of Exhampton and had suc-ceeded
his father and grandfather in the firm.
He rose, put on his mourning face, and shook hands
with the Major.
Murder at Hazelmoor
"Good morning, Major Burnaby," he said. "This is a
very shocking affair. Very shocking indeed. Poor Trevelyan."
He looked inquiringly at Narracott and Major Burnaby
explai
ned his presence in a few succinct words.
"You are in charge of the case, Inspector Narracott?"
"Yes, Mr. Kirkwood. In pursuance of my investigations,
I have come to ask you for certain information."
"I shall be happy to give you any information if it is
proper for me to do so," said the lawyer.
"It concerns the late Captain Trevelyan's will," said
Narracott. "I understand the will is here in your office."
"That is so."
"It was made some time ago?"
"Five or six years ago. I cannot be sure of the exact
date at the moment."
"Ah! I am anxious, Mr. Kirkwood, to know the con~
tents of that will as soon as possible. It may have an
important bearing on the case."
Indeed. said t
'
"
he lawyer. Indeed! I should not have
thought that, but naturally you know your own business
best, Inspector. Well--" he glanced across at the other
man. "Major Burnaby and myself are joint executors of
the will. If he has no objection--"
"None."
"Then I see no reason why I should not accede to your
request, Inspector."
Taking up a telephone that stood on his desk he spoke
a few words down it. In two or three minutes a clerk
entered the room and laid a sealed envelope in front of
the lawyer. The clerk left the room, Mr. Kirkwood picked
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Agatha Christie
up the envelope, slit it open with a paper knife and drew
out a large and important looking document, cleared his
throat and began to read--
"I, Joseph Arthur Trevelyan, of Sittaford House,
Sittaford, in the County of Devon, declare this to
be my last will and testament which I make this
thirteenth day of August nineteen hundred and
twenty-six.
"(1) I appoint John Edward Burnaby of I The
Cottages, Sittaford, and Frederick Kirkwood of Ex-hampton,
to be the executors and trustees of this,
my will.
"(z) I give to Robert Henry Evans, who has served
me long and faithfully, the sum of pounds o (one hundred
pounds) free of legacy duty for his own benefit ab-solutely,
provided that he is in my service at the
time of my death and not under notice to leave
whether given or received.
"(3) I give the said John Edward Burnaby, as a
token of our friendship and of my affection and re-gard
for him, all my trophies of sport, including my
collection of heads and pelts of big game as well as
any challenge cups and prizes awarded to me in any
department of sport and any spoils of the chase in
my possession.
"(4) I give all my real and personal property, not
otherwise disposed of by this, my will, or any codicil
hereto to my Trustees upon Trust that my Trustees
shall sell, call in and convert the same into money.
"(5) My Trustees shall out of the moneys to arise
out of such sale, calling in and conversion pay any
funeral and testamentary expenses and debts, and
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Murder at Hazelmoor
the legacies given by this, my will, or any codicil
hereto and all death duties and other moneys.
"(6) My Trustees shall hold the residue of such
moneys or the investments for the time being, rep-resenting
the same upon Trust to divide the same
into fbur equal parts or shares.
"(7) Upon such division as aforesaid my Trustees
shall hold one such equal fourth part or share upon
Trust to pay the same to my sister Jennifer Gardner
for her own use and enjoyment absolutely.
"And my Trustees shall hold the remaining three
such equal fourth parts or shares upon Trust to pay
one such equal fourth part or share to each of the
three children of my deceased sister, Mary Pearson
for the benefit of each such child absolutely.
"In Witness whereof I, the said Joseph Arthur
Trevelyan, have hereunto set my hand the day and
year first above written.
"Signed by the above named Testator as his last
will in the presence of us both present at the same
time, who in his presence and at his request and in
the presence of each other have hereunto sub-scribed
our names as witness,"
Mr. Kirkwood handed the document to the Inspector.
"Witnessed by two of my clerks in this office."
The Inspector ran his eye over the will thoughtfully.
"My deceased sister, Mary Pearson," he said. "Can
you tell me anything about Mrs. Pearson, Mr. Kirk-wood?"
"Very little. She died about ten years ago, I believe.
Her husband, a stockbroker, had predeceased her. As
far as I know, she never visited Captain Trevelyan here."
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Agatha Christie
"Pearson," said the Inspector again. Then he added:
"One thing more. The amount of Captain Trevelyan's
estate is not mentioned. To what sum do you think it
will amount?"
"That is difficult to say exactly," said Mr. Kirkwood,
enjoying, like all lawyers, making the reply to a simple
question difficult. "It is a question of real or personal
estate. Besides Sittaford House, Captain Trevelyan owns some property in the neighborhood of Plymouth, and
various investments he made from time to time have
fluctuated in value."
"I just want an approximate idea," said Inspector Narracott.
"I should not like to commit myself"
"Just the roughest estimate as a guide. For instance
would twenty thousand pounds be out of the way?"
"Twenty thousand pounds. My dear sir! Captain Trevelyan's
estate will be worth at least four times as much
as that. Eighty or even ninety thousand pounds will be
much nearer the mark."
"I told you Trevelyan was a rich man," said Burnaby.
Inspector Narracott rose.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Kirkwood," he said, "for
the information you have given me."
"You think you will find it helpful, eh?"
The laywer very clearly was agog with curiosity,
but Inspector Narracott was in no mood to satisfy it at
present.
"In a case like this we have to take everything into
account," he said, noncommittally. "By the way, have
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Murder at Hazelmoor
you the names and addresses of this Jennifer Gardner
and of the Pearson family?"
"I know nothing of the Pearson family. Mrs. Gardner's
address is The Laurels, Waldon Road, Exeter."
The Inspector noted it down in his book.
"That will do to get on with," he said. "You don't know
how many children the late Mrs. Pearson left?"
"Three, I fancy. Two girls and a boy--or possibly two
boys and a girl--I cannot remember which."
The Inspector nodded and put away his notebook and
thanked the lawyer once more and took his departure.
When they had reached the street, he turned suddenly
and faced his companion.
"And now, sir," he said, "we'll have the truth about
that twenty-five past f
ive business."
Major Burnaby's face reddened with annoyance.
"I have told you already--"
"That won't go down with me. Withholding informa-tion,
that is what you are doing, Major Burnaby. You
must have had some {dea in mentioning that specific time
to Dr. Warren--and I think I have a very good idea of
what that something is."
"Well, if you know about it, why ask me?" growled
the Major.
"I take it that you were aware that a certain person
had an appointment with Captain Trevelyan somewhere
about that time. Now, isn't that so?"
Major Burnaby stared at him in surprise.
"Nothing of the kind," he snarled, "nothing of the
kind."
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Agatha Christie
"Be careful, Major Burnaby. What about Mr. James