I got very little information from Mrs. Folliott. She said that Ursula Bourne was a very capable girl. But when I asked her what she knew about the past of Ursula Bourne, what family she came from and some other details, she told me nothing, and I was surprised to notice, that she did not want to speak about it. There was nothing else for me to do, and I left.
I arrived home about six o’clock.
«I had a visitor,» said Caroline to me.
«Who was it?» I asked.
«M. Poirot.»
«Why did he come?» I asked.
«To see me, of course. He said that he knew my brother so well, so he wanted to know me better, too.»
«What did you talk about?»
«Well, James, naturally we talked about the murder. I was able to help M. Poirot with some details. He was very glad. He said I was a born detective1. He is very worried about Ralph’s disappearance. He says that Ralph must come and tell the police all about himself.»
«Caroline,» I said, «did you tell M. Poirot that you had seen Ralph with a girl and heard part of their conversation in the wood that day?»
1 a born detective — прирожденный детектив
«Of course, I did,» said Caroline. «I was surprised that you hadn’t told him. I am sure Ralph did not kill Mr. Ackroyd, and we must give M. Poirot all the help we can.»
«Did Poirot ask you any more questions?» I asked.
«Only about the patients that you had that morning.»
«The patients?» I was surprised.
«Yes. How many and who they were.»
«Do you remember?»
«Of course I do,» said Caroline. «My memory is much better than yours, James. I told him about all the patients you had that day. He was especially interested about Miss Russell.»
«Miss Russell?» I said. «What is strange about that? Couldn’t Miss Russell come and consult me about her bad knee?»
«Bad knee!» said Caroline. «Indeed! There is nothing wrong about her knee. She came because she wanted to find out something.»
«What?» I asked.
Caroline said that she did not know. She went upstairs and I remained sitting at the fireplace and thinking. I thought about Miss Russell’s visit that morning. She had asked me questions about poisons. But Mr. Ackroyd was not poisoned. Still, it was strange —.