The millionaire hesitated for a moment, and then replied.
“No—I do not know at all.”
“Now—as to the discovery of the body?”
“It was discovered by a young naval officer who at once gave the alarm. There was a doctor on the train. He examined the body. She had been first chloroformed, and then stabbed. He gave it as his opinion that she had been dead about four hours, so it must have been done not long after leaving Bristol. —Probably between there and Weston, possibly between Weston and Taunton.”
“And the jewel-case.”
“The jewel-case, M. Poirot, was missing.”
“One thing more, monsieur. Your daughter’s fortune—to whom does it pass at her death?”
“Flossie made a will soon after her marriage, leaving everything to her husband.” He hesitated for a minute, and then went on: “I may as well tell you, Monsieur Poirot, that I regard my son-in-law as an unprincipled scoundrel, and that, by my advice, my daughter was on the eve of freeing herself from him by legal means—no difficult matter. I settled her money upon her in such a way that he could not touch it during her lifetime, but although they have lived entirely apart for some years, she has frequently acceded to his demands for money, rather than face an open scandal. However, I was determined to put an end to this, and at last Flossie agreed, and my lawyers were instructed to take proceedings.”
“And where is Monsieur Carrington?”
“In town. I believe he was away in the country yesterday, but he returned last night.”