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Chapter VIII. Fresh Suspicions
Noonetookmuchnoticeofthatattheinquest—butnowithasaverydifferentsignificance.WemustfindoutwhodidtakethatcoffeetoMrs.Inglethorpeventually,orwhopassedthroughthehallwhilstitwasstandingthere.Fromyouraccount,thereareonlytwopeoplewhomwecanpositivelysaydidnotgonearthecoffee—Mrs.Cavendish,andMademoiselleCynthia.”
“Yes,thatisso.”Ifeltaninexpressiblelighteningoftheheart.MaryCavendishcouldcertainlynotrestundersuspicion.
“InclearingAlfredInglethorp,”continuedPoirot,“IhavebeenobligedtoshowmyhandsoonerthanIintended.AslongasImightbethoughttobepursuinghim,thecriminalwouldbeoffhisguard.Now,hewillbedoublycareful.Yes—doublycareful.”Heturnedtomeabruptly.“Tellme,Hastings,youyourself—haveyounosuspicionsofanybody?”
Ihesitated.Totellthetruth,anidea,wildandextravagantinitself,hadonceortwicethatmorningflashedthroughmybrain.Ihadrejecteditasabsurd,neverthelessitpersisted.
“Youcouldn’tcallitasuspicion,”Imurmured.“It’ssoutterlyfoolish.”
“Comenow,”urgedPoirotencouragingly.“Donotfear.Speakyourmind.Youshouldalwayspayattentiontoyourinstincts.”
“Wellthen,”Iblurtedout,“it’sabsurd—butIsuspectMissHowardofnottellingallsheknows!”
“MissHoward?”
“Yes—you’lllaughatme——”
“Notatall.
