‘How does he get in when he comes?’
‘He has a key of the back door, sir. All the servants come in that way.’
‘He could have returned that way, then?’
‘Not without passing through the kitchen, sir. And the kitchen would be occupied till well after half-past nine or a quarter to ten.’
Colonel Johnson said:
‘That seems conclusive. Thank you, Tressilian.’
The old man got up and with a bow left the room. He returned, however, a minute or two later.
‘Horbury has just returned, sir. Would you like to see him now?’
‘Yes, please, send him in at once.’
Sydney Horbury did not present a very prepossessing appearance. He came into the room and stood rubbing his hands together and darting quick looks from one person to another. His manner was unctuous.
Johnson said:
‘You’re Sydney Horbury?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Valet attendant to the late Mr Lee?’
‘Yes, sir. It’s terrible, isn’t it? You could have knocked me down with a feather when I heard from Gladys. Poor old gentleman–’
Johnson cut him short.
‘Just answer my questions, please.’
‘Yes, sir, certainly, sir.’
‘What time did you go out tonight, and where have you been?’
‘I left the house just before eight, sir. I went to the Superb, sir, just five minutes’ walk away. Love in Old Seville was the picture, sir.’
‘Anyone who saw you there?’
‘The young lady in the box office, sir, she knows me. And the commissionaire at the door, he knows me too. And – er – as a matter of fact, I was with a young lady, sir. I met her there by appointment.’
‘Oh, you did, did you? What’s her name?’
‘Doris Buckle, sir. She works in the Combined Dairies, sir, 23, Markham Road.’
‘Good. We’ll look into that. Did you come straight home?’
‘I saw my young lady home first, sir. Then I came straight back. You’ll find it’s quite all right, sir. I didn’t have anything to do with this. I was–’
Colonel Johnson said curtly:
‘Nobody’s accusing you of having anything to do with it.’
‘No, sir, of course not, sir. But it’s not very pleasant when a murder happens in a house.’
‘Nobody said it was. Now, then, how long had you been in Mr Lee’s service?’
‘Just over a year, sir.’
‘Did you like your place here?’
‘Yes, sir. I was quite satisfied. The pay was good. Mr Lee was rather difficult sometimes, but of course I’m used to attending on invalids.’
‘You’ve had previous experience?’
‘Oh, yes, sir. I was with Major West and with the Honourable Jasper Finch–’
‘You can give all those particulars to Sugden later. What I want to know is this: At what time did you last see Mr Lee this evening?’
‘It was about half-past seven, sir. Mr Lee had a light supper brought to him every evening at seven o’clock. I then prepared him for bed. After that he would sit in front of the fire in his dressing-gown till he felt like going to bed.’
‘What time was that usually?’
‘It varied, sir. Sometimes he would go to bed as early as eight o’clock – that’s if he felt tired. Sometimes he would sit up till eleven or after.’
‘What did he do when he did want to go to bed?’
‘Usually he rang for me, sir.’
‘And you assisted him to bed?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘But this was your evening out. Did you always have Fridays?’
‘Yes, sir. Friday was my regular day.’
‘What happened then when Mr Lee wanted to go to bed?’
‘He would ring his bell and either Tressilian or Walter would see to him.’
‘He was not helpless? He could move about?’
‘Yes, sir, but not very easily. Rheumatoid arthritis was what he suffered from, sir. He was worse some days than others.’
‘Did he never go into another room in the daytime?’
‘No, sir. He preferred to be in just the one room. Mr Lee wasn’t luxurious in his tastes. It was a big room with plenty of air and light in it.’
‘Mr Lee had his supper at seven, you say?’
‘Yes, sir. I took the tray away and put out the sherry and two glasses on the bureau.’
‘Why did you do that?’
‘Mr Lee’s orders.’
‘Was that usual?’
‘Sometimes. It was the rule that none of the family came to see Mr Lee in the evening unless he invited them. Some evenings he liked to be alone. Other evenings he’d send down and ask Mr Alfred, or Mrs Alfred, or both of them, to come up after dinner.’
‘But, as far as you know, he had not done so on this occasion? That is, he had not sent a message to any member of the family requesting their presence?’
‘He hadn’t sent any message by me, sir.’
‘So that he wasn’t expecting any of the family?’
‘He might have asked one of them personally, sir.’
‘Of course.’
Horbury continued:
‘I saw that everything was in order, wished Mr Lee goodnight and left the room.’
Poirot asked:
‘Did you make up the fire before you left the room?’
The valet hesitated.
‘It wasn’t necessary, sir. It was well built up.’
‘Could Mr Lee have done that himself?’
‘Oh no, sir. I expect Mr Harry Lee had done it.’
‘Mr Harry Lee was with him when you came in before supper?’
‘Yes, sir. He went away when I came.’
‘What was the relationship between the two as far as you could judge?’
‘Mr Harry Lee seemed in very good spirits, sir. Throwing back his head and laughing a good deal.’
‘And Mr Lee?’
‘He was quiet and rather thoughtful.’
‘I see. Now, there’s something more I want to know, Horbury: What can you tell us about the diamonds Mr Lee kept in his safe?’
‘Diamonds, sir? I never saw any diamonds.’
‘Mr Lee kept a quantity of uncut stones there. You must have seen him handling them.’
