18. Giraud Acts

           “Bytheway,Poirot,”Isaid,aswewalkedalongthehotwhiteroad,“I’vegotabonetopickwithyou.Idaresayyoumeantwell,butreallyitwasnobusinessofyourstogomouchingroundtotheHôtelduPharewithoutlettingmeknow.”

           Poirotshotaquicksidelongglanceatme.

           “AndhowdidyouknowIhadbeenthere?”heinquired.

           MuchtomyannoyanceIfeltthecolourrisinginmycheeks.

           “Ihappenedtolookininpassing,”IexplainedwithasmuchdignityasIcouldmuster.

           IratherfearedPoirot’sbanter,buttomyrelief,andsomewhattomysurprise,heonlyshookhisheadwitharatherunusualgravity.

           “IfIhaveoffendedyoursusceptibilitiesinanyway,Idemandpardonofyou.Youwillunderstandbettersoon.But,believeme,Ihavestriventoconcentrateallmyenergiesonthecase.”

           “Oh,it’sallright,”Isaid,mollifiedbytheapology.“Iknowit’sonlythatyouhavemyinterestsatheart.ButIcantakecareofmyselfallright.”

           Poirotseemedtobeabouttosaysomethingfurther,butcheckedhimself.

           ArrivedattheVilla,Poirotledthewayuptotheshedwherethesecondbodyhadbeendiscovered.Hedidnot,however,goin,butpausedbythebenchwhichIhavementionedbeforeasbeingsetsomefewyardsawayfromit.Aftercontemplatingitforamomentortwo,hepacedcarefullyfromittothehedgewhichmarkedtheboundarybetweentheVillaGenevièveandtheVillaMarguerite.Thenhepacedbackagain,noddinghisheadashedidso.Returningagaintothehedge,hepartedthebusheswithhishands.