‘Did you see much of your grandfather when you arrived here?’

Pilar said:

‘Oh, yes. I went to sit with him. He told me things – that he had been a very wicked man, and all the things he did in South Africa.’

‘Did he ever tell you that he had diamonds in the safe in his room?’

‘Yes, he showed them to me. But they were not like diamonds – they were just like pebbles – very ugly – very ugly indeed.’

Superintendent Sugden said shortly:

‘So he showed them to you, did he?’

‘Yes.’

‘He didn’t give you any of them?’

Pilar shook her head.

‘No, he did not. I thought that perhaps one day he would – if I were very nice to him and came often to sit with him. Because old gentlemen they like very much young girls.’

Colonel Johnson said: 

‘Do you know that those diamonds have been stolen?’

Pilar opened her eyes very wide.

‘Stolen?’

‘Yes, have you any idea who might have taken them?’

Pilar nodded her head.

‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘It would be Horbury.’

‘Horbury? You mean the valet?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why do you think that?’

‘Because he has the face of a thief. His eyes go so, from side to side, he walks softly and listens at doors. He is like a cat. And all cats are thieves.’

‘H’m,’ said Colonel Johnson. ‘We’ll leave it at that. Now I understand that all the family were up in your grandfather’s room this afternoon, and that some – er – angry words passed.’

Pilar nodded and smiled.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It was great fun. Grandfather made them oh! so angry!’

‘Oh, you enjoyed it, did you?’

‘Yes. I like to see people get angry. I like it very much. But here in England they do not get angry like they do in Spain. In Spain they take out their knives and they curse and shout. In England they do nothing, just get very red in the face and shut up their mouths tight.’

‘Do you remember what was said?’ 

Pilar seemed rather doubtful.

‘I am not sure. Grandfather said they were no good – that they had not got any children. He said I was better than any of them. He liked me, very much.’

‘Did he say anything about money or a will?’

‘A will – no, I don’t think so. I don’t remember.’

‘What happened?’

‘They all went away – except Hilda – the fat one, David’s wife, she stayed behind.’

‘Oh, she did, did she?’

‘Yes. David looked very funny. He was all shaking and oh! so white. He looked as though he might be sick.’

‘And what then?’

‘Then I went and found Stephen. We danced to the gramophone.’

‘Stephen Farr?’

‘Yes. He is from South Africa – he is the son of Grandfather’s partner. He is very handsome too. Very brown and big, and he has nice eyes.’

Johnson asked:

‘Where were you when the crime occurred?’

‘You ask where I was?’

‘Yes.’

‘I had gone into the drawing-room with Lydia. And then I went up to my room and did my face. I was going to dance again with Stephen. And then, far away, I heard a scream and everyone was running, so I went too. And they were trying to break down Grandfather’s door. Harry did it with Stephen, they are both big strong men.’

‘Yes?’

‘And then – crash – down it went – and we all looked in. Oh, such a sight – everything smashed and knocked over, and Grandfather lying in a lot of blood, and his throat was cut like this ’ – she made a vivid dramatic gesture at her own neck – ‘right up under his ear.’

She paused, having obviously enjoyed her narrative.

Johnson said:

‘The blood didn’t make you feel ill?’

She stared.

‘No, why should it? There is usually blood when people are killed. There was, oh! so much blood everywhere!’

Poirot said: ‘Did anyone say anything?’

Pilar said:

‘David said such a funny thing – what was it? Oh, yes. The mills of God – that is what he said’ – she repeated it with emphasis on each word – ‘The mills-of-God-What does that mean? Mills are what make flour, are they not?’

Colonel Johnson said:

‘Well, I don’t think there is anything more just now, Miss Estravados.’ 

Pilar got up obediently. She flashed a quick charming smile at each man in turn.

‘I will go now, then.’ She went out.

Colonel Johnson said:

‘The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small. And David Lee said that!’

As the door opened once more, Colonel Johnson looked up. For a moment he took the entering figure to be that of Harry Lee, but as Stephen Farr advanced into the room he saw his error.

‘Sit down, Mr Farr,’ he said.

Stephen sat. His eyes, cool, intelligent eyes, went from one to the other of the three men. He said:

‘I’m afraid I shan’t be much use to you. But please ask me anything that you think may help. Perhaps I’d better explain, to start with, who I am. My father, Ebenezer Farr, was Simeon Lee’s partner in South Africa in the old days. I’m talking of over forty years ago.’

He paused.

‘My dad talked to me a lot about Simeon Lee – what a personality he was. He and Dad cleaned up a good bit together. Simeon Lee went home with a fortune and my father didn’t do badly either. My father always told me that when I came to this country I was to look up Mr Lee. I said once that it was a long time ago and that he’d probably not know who I was, but Dad scoffed at the idea. He said, “When two men have been through what Simeon and I went through, they don’t forget.” Well, my father died a couple of years ago. This year I came over to England for the first time, and I thought I’d act on Dad’s advice and look up Mr Lee.’

With a slight smile he went on:

‘I was just a little nervous when I came along here, but I needn’t have been. Mr Lee gave me a warm welcome and absolutely insisted that I should stay with the family over Christmas. I was afraid I was butting in, but he wouldn’t hear of a refusal.’

He added rather shyly:

‘They were all very nice to me – Mr and Mrs Alfred Lee couldn’t have been nicer. I’m terribly sorry for them that all this should come upon them.’

‘How long have you been here, Mr Farr?’

‘Since yesterday.’

‘Did you see Mr Lee today at all?’

‘Yes, I had a chat with him this morning. He was in good spirits then and anxious to hear about a lot of people and places.’

‘That was the last time you saw him?’

‘Yes.’ 

‘Did he mention to you that he kept a quantity of uncut diamonds in his safe?’

‘No.’

He added before the other could speak:

‘Do you mean that this business was murder and robbery?’

‘We’re not sure yet,’ said Johnson. ‘Now to come to the events of this evening, will you tell me, in your own words, what you were doing?’

‘Certainly. After the ladies left the dining-room I stayed and had a glass of port. Then I realized that the Lees had family business they wanted to discuss and that my being there was hampering them so I excused myself and left them.’

‘And what did you do then?’

Stephen Farr leaned back in his chair. His forefinger caressed his jaw. He said rather woodenly:

‘I – er – went along to a big room with a parquet floor – a kind of ballroom, I fancy. There’s a gramophone there and dance records. I put some records on.’

Poirot said:

‘It was possible, perhaps, that someone might join you there?’

A very faint smile curved Stephen Farr’s lips. He answered:

‘It was possible, yes. One always hopes.’

And he grinned outright. 

Poirot said:

‘Senorita Estravados is very beautiful.’

Stephen answered:

‘She’s easily the best thing to look at that I’ve seen since I came to England.’

‘Did Miss Estravados join you?’ asked Colonel Johnson.

Stephen shook his head.

‘I was still there when I heard the rumpus. I came out into the hall and ran hell for leather to see what was the matter. I helped Harry Lee to break the door down.’