Free The Peril at End House by Agatha Christie Page B

sir-I mean are you sure that-that it's Miss Maggie?'
    'I'm quite sure,' I said. 'Why?'
    'Oh!-nothing. I-I thought it might be one of the other ladies. I thought perhaps it might be-Mrs Rice.'
    'Look here,' I said. 'Where's the telephone?'
    'It's in the little room here, sir.' She opened the door for me and indicated the instrument.
    'Thanks,' I said. And, as she seemed disposed to linger, I added: 'That's all I want, thank you.'
    'If you want Dr Graham-'
    'No, no,' I said. 'That's all. Go, please.'
    She withdrew reluctantly, as slowly as she dared. In all probability she would listen outside the door, but I could not help that. After all, she would soon know all there was to be known.
    I got the police station and made my report. Then, on my own initiative, I rang up the Dr Graham, Ellen had mentioned. I found his number in the book. Nick, at any rate, should have medical attention, I felt-even though a doctor could do nothing for that poor girl lying out there. He promised to come at once and I hung up the receiver and came out into the hall again.
    If Ellen had been listening outside the door she had managed to disappear very swiftly. There was no one in sight when I came out. I went back into the drawing-room. Nick was trying to sit up.
    'Do you think-could you get me-some brandy?' 'Of course.'
    I hurried into the dining-room, found what I wanted and came back. A few sips of the spirit revived the girl. The colour began to come back into her cheeks. I rearranged the cushion for her head.
    'It's all-so awful.' She shivered. 'Everything-everywhere.' 'I know, my dear, I know.'
    'No, you don't! You can't. And it's all such a waste. If it were only me. It would be all over...'
    'You mustn't,' I said, “be morbid”.'
    She only shook her head, reiterating: 'You don't know! You don't know!'
    Then, suddenly, she began to cry. A quiet, hopeless sobbing like a child. That, I thought, was probably the best thing for her, so I made no effort to stem her tears.
    When their first violence had died down a little, I stole across to the window and looked out. I had heard an outcry of voices a few minutes before. They were all there by now, a semi-circle round the scene of the tragedy, with Poirot like a fantastical sentinel, keeping them back.
    As I watched, two uniformed figures came striding across the grass. The police had arrived.
    I went quietly back to my place by the sofa. Nick lifted her tear-stained face. 'Oughtn't I to be doing something?'
    'No, my dear. Poirot will see to it. Leave it to him.' Nick was silent for a minute or two, then she said: 'Poor Maggie. Poor dear old Maggie. Such a good sort who never harmed a soul in her life. That this should happen to her. I feel as though I'd killed her-bringing her down in the way that I did.'
    I shook my head sadly. How little one can foresee the future. When Poirot insisted on Nick's inviting a friend, how little did he think that he was signing an unknown girl's death warrant.
    We sat in silence. I longed to know what was going on outside, but I loyally fulfilled Poirot's instructions and stuck to my post.
    It seemed hours later when the door opened and Poirot and a police inspector entered the room. With them came a man who was evidently Dr Graham. He came over at once to Nick.
    'And how are you feeling, Miss Buckley? This must have been a terrible shock.' His fingers were on her pulse.
    'Not too bad.'
    He turned to me.
    'Has she had anything?'
    'Some brandy,' I said.
    'I'm all right,' said Nick, bravely.
    'Able to answer a few questions, eh?'
    'Of course.'
    The police inspector moved forward with a preliminary cough. Nick greeted him with the ghost of a smile.
    'Not impeding the traffic this time,' she said.
    I gathered they were not strangers to each other.
    'This is a terrible business, Miss Buckley,' said the inspector. 'I'm very sorry about it. Now Mr Poirot here, whose name I'm very familiar with (and proud we are to have him with us, I'm sure), tells me that to the best of