Смерть на Ниле / Death on the Nile - стр. 42

, but I am not the diving seal!’

They both laughed.

Mrs Allerton went on.

‘I saw you from my window walking down the drive with Simon Doyle this morning. Do tell me what you make of him! We’re so excited about him.’

‘Ah? Truly?’

‘Yes. You know his marriage to Linnet Ridgeway was the greatest surprise. She was supposed to be going to marry Lord Windlesham and then suddenly she gets engaged to this man no one had ever heard of!’

‘You know her well, Madame?’

‘No, but a cousin of mine, Joanna Southwood, is one of her best friends.’

‘Ah, yes, I have read that name in the papers.’ He was silent a moment and then went on, ‘She is a young lady very much in the news, Mademoiselle Joanna Southwood.’

‘Oh, she knows how to advertise herself all right,’ snapped Mrs Allerton.

‘You do not like her, Madame?’

‘That was a nasty remark of mine.’ Mrs Allerton looked penitent. ‘You see, I’m old-fashioned. I don’t like her much. Tim and she are the greatest of friends, though.’

‘I see,’ said Poirot.

His companion shot a quick look at him. She changed the subject.

‘How very few young people there are out here! That pretty girl with the chestnut hair and the appalling mother in the turban is almost the only young creature in the place. You have talked to her a good deal, I notice. She interests me, that child.’

‘Why is that, Madame?’

‘I feel sorry for her. You can suffer so much when you are young and sensitive. I think she is suffering.’

‘Yes, she is not happy, poor little one.’

‘Tim and I call her the “sulky girl”. I’ve tried to talk to her once or twice, but she’s snubbed me on each occasion. However, I believe she’s going on this Nile trip too, and I expect we’ll have to be more or less all matey together, shan’t we?’

‘It is a possible contingency, Madame.’

‘I’m very matey really – people interest me enormously. All the different types.’ She paused, then said: ‘Tim tells me that that girl – her name is de Bellefort – is the girl who was engaged to Simon Doyle. It’s rather awkward for them – meeting like this.’

‘It is awkward – yes,’ agreed Poirot.

Mrs Allerton shot a quick glance at him.

‘You know, it may sound foolish, but she almost frightened me. She looked so – intense.’

Poirot nodded his head slowly.

‘You were not far wrong, Madame. A great force of emotion is always frightening.’

‘Do people interest you too, Monsieur Poirot? Or do you reserve your interest for potential criminals?’

‘Madame – that category would not leave many people outside it.’

Mrs Allerton looked a trifle startled.

‘Do you really mean that?’