Chapter 24: Ralph Paton’s Story

⁠​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌⁠It was a very uncomfortable minute for me. I hardly took in what happened next, but there were exclamations and cries of surprise! When I was sufficiently master of myself to be able to realize what was going on, Ralph Paton was standing by his wife, her hand in his, and he was smiling across the room at me.

Poirot, too, was smiling, and at the same time shaking an eloquent finger at me.

“Have I not