“Quite so. The income on ten thousand pounds’ worth of shares to be paid to Mrs.

Cecil Ackroyd during her lifetime. Miss Flora Ackroyd inherits twenty thousand

pounds outright. The residue—including this property, and the shares in Ackroyd

and Son—to his adopted son, Ralph Paton.”

 

“Mr. Ackroyd possessed a large fortune?”

 

“A very large fortune. Captain Paton will be an exceedingly wealthy young man.”

 

There was a silence. Poirot and the lawyer looked at each other.

 

“Mr. Hammond,” came Mrs. Ackroyd’s voice plaintively from the fireplace.

 

The lawyer answered the summons. Poirot took my arm and drew me right into the

window.

 

“Regard the irises,” he remarked in rather a loud voice. “Magnificent, are they

not? A straight and pleasing effect.”

 

At the same time I felt the pressure of his hand on my arm, and he added in a

low tone:—

 

“Do you really wish to aid me? To take part in this investigation?”

 

“Yes, indeed,” I said eagerly. “There’s nothing I should like better.