Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie Page A

gave it up and took a large dose of quinine by the mouth and flung myself on my bed.”
    Gerard paused, then went on: “Mrs. Boynton's death was not discovered until after sunset.
     Owing to the way in which she was sitting and the support the chair gave to her body no
     change occurred in her position and it was not until one of the boys went to summon her to
     dinner at six-thirty that it was noticed that anything was wrong.”
    He explained in full detail the position of the cave and its distance away from the big
     marquee. “Miss King, who is a qualified doctor, examined the body. She did not disturb me,
     knowing that I had fever. There was, indeed, nothing that could be done. Mrs. Boynton was
     dead - and had been dead for some little time.”
    Poirot murmured: “How long exactly?”
    Gerard said slowly: “I do not think that Miss King paid much attention to that point. She
     did not, I presume, think it of any importance.”
    “One can say, at least, when she was last definitely known to be alive?” said Poirot.
    Colonel Carbury cleared his throat and referred to an official-looking document. “Mrs.
     Boynton was spoken to by Lady Westholme and Miss Pierce shortly after four P.M.. Lennox
     Boynton spoke to his mother about four-thirty. Mrs. Lennox Boynton had a long conversation
     with her about five minutes later. Carol Boynton had a word with her mother at a time she
     is unable to state precisely - but which, from the evidence of others, would seem to have
     been about ten minutes past five.”
    “Jefferson Cope, an American friend of the family, returning to the camp with Lady
     Westholme and Miss Pierce, saw her asleep. He did not speak to her. That was about twenty
     to six. Raymond Boynton, the younger son, seems to have been the last person to see her
     alive. On his return from a walk he went and spoke to her at about ten minutes to six. The
     discovery of the body was made at six-thirty when a servant went to tell her dinner was
     ready.”
    “Between the time that Mr. Raymond Boynton spoke to her and half-past six did no one go
     near her?” asked Poirot.
    “I understand not.”
    “But someone might have done so?” Poirot persisted.
    “Don't think so. From close on six and up to six-thirty servants were moving about the
     camp, people were going to and from their tents. No one can be found who saw anyone
     approaching the old lady.”
    “Then Raymond Boynton was definitely the last person to see his mother alive?” said Poirot.
    Dr. Gerard and Colonel Carbury interchanged a quick glance. Colonel Carbury drummed on the
     table with his fingers.
    “This is where we begin to get into deep waters,” he said. “Go on, Gerard. This is your
     pigeon.”
    Dr. Gerard said: “As I mentioned just now, Sarah King, when she examined Mrs. Boynton, saw
     no reason for determining the exact time of death. She merely said that Mrs. Boynton had
     been dead 'some little time'; but when, on the following day for reasons of my own, I
     endeavored to narrow things down and happened to mention that Mrs. Boynton was last seen
     alive by her son, Raymond, at a little before six, Miss King, to my great surprise, said
     point blank that that was impossible, that at that time Mrs. Boynton must already have
     been dead.”
    Poirot's eyebrows rose. “Odd. Extremely odd. And what does M. Raymond Boynton say to that?”
    Colonel Carbury said abruptly: “He swears that his mother was alive. He went up to her and
     said: 'I'm back. Hope you have had a nice afternoon?' Something of that kind. He says she
     just grunted 'Quite all right,' and he went on to his tent.”
    Poirot frowned perplexedly. “Curious,” he said. “Extremely curious. Tell me - it was
     growing dusk by then?”
    “The sun was just setting.”
    “Curious,” said Poirot again. “And you, Dr. Gerard, when did you see the body?”
    “Not until the following day. At nine A.M., to be precise.”
    “And your estimate