The CBB :: View topic - Mystery At St. Mildred's

#1: Mystery At St. Mildred's Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:52 am

At the moment the bunnies are biting, but I am not quite sure where they are going with this. It's not meant to be in the style of Agatha Christie, even though I have blatantly stolen one of her characters. I wasn't very sure where to post it, either, so if anyone wants to move it, that is fine by me. Please feel free to criticise, but do bear in mind that my middle name is Wimp!

Hercule Poirot sat aboard the Interlaken express and thought about the letter that he had received that had brought him to Switzerland. It had come from a prestigious finishing school in the Bernese Oberland, and mentioned some rather distressing events that had occurred in the school during the autumn term. It was now just over a month before the Christmas holidays, and the writer of the letter seemed eager to get matters sorted out before everyone went off for their vacation and then declined to return for the remainder of the year.
The train pulled into the station and Poirot pulled his muffler more closely around his face, put on his hat and picked up his small suitcase. He opened the door of the train and stepped delicately down onto the platform, shivering as the cold alpine air enveloped him. He looked around, for the writer of the letter had assured him that she would meet him at the station and he was not eager to spend too long standing around in the biting cold waiting for her.
At that moment a young woman came over, holding out her hand to him and saying, "Monsieur Poirot! I'm so glad to see you! I'm Gillian Culver, secretary at St. Mildred's."
Poirot shook her hand. She was an attractive looking lady, even dressed warmly in a thick winter coat, with a woolly hat pulled down over her ears and a scarf of the same vintage wrapped several times around her neck. "Charmed, Mademoiselle Culver," he said, bowing over her hand. Gillian got the impression that he would have kissed it had it not been encased in a woolly mitten.
"Let's be on our way," said Gillian, for it really was cold on the platform. "Shall I take your case, Monsieur Poirot?"
"No, no, I can manage," he told her, and together they left the station. She had brought the small car belonging to the Head of St. Mildred's and she helped the diminutive Belgian to stow his case in the boot, then they got into the car and she started the drive up to the Gornetz Platz. As she drove out of Interlaken, Hercule Poirot studied her profile. She had removed her hat to reveal a head of glorious chestnut hair, causing the famous detective to mutter, "Ah, the red-headed lady. Always it seems we must have the red-headed lady involved in the case," and for a moment he was lost in reminisces of another red-headed lady who had been involved in several of his more famous cases.
"Shall I fill you in on some of the details?" Miss Culver was asking, as she left the traffic of Interlaken behind.
"Yes, the details," he said thoughtfully. "That would be most helpful, thank you, Mademoiselle. Your letter was rather vague."
"I was upset," she admitted. "It's been a most difficult term, Monsieur Poirot. The first death occurred in mid September. Lisa Smith was a young English girl who had only been with us since the start of the term. She was found lying at the bottom of the stairs, quite dead."
Poirot saw the young secretary shudder as she recalled the incident. "Perhaps it would be better if we waited until at your school," he suggested. "We could drink tea – a nice tisane perhaps – and then you will be better able to relate the details of this so horrible occurrence."
"I am worried that someone may overhear me talking to you," Gillian continued. "You see, the school has often had near fatal accidents before, but thankfully the girls involved have always recovered. This was the first accident where one of the girls actually died. Naturally we were all upset, but we believed it was just a tragic accident. Then, at the end of October, a second girl died. She had been suffering from a bilious attack and was in the San. The next morning she was dead and again they decided that it was an accident. She had obviously been allergic to the medicine she was given and died in the night. The third girl was shot at our firework party. There's no way that can have been an accident."
"Quite," Monsieur Poirot agreed. "What happened that evening?"

Last edited by Fatima on Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:57 pm; edited 17 times in total

#2: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:56 am

Hmm I am intrigued already...

Thank you Fatima!

#3: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:56 am

Oooh, Fatima! I love Poirot and this looks great!

Thankyou very much. Please post more soon, I want to know what happened!

#4: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 11:30 am

This looks interesting! Wondering who the girls who died were, and which doctors were involved ...

#5: Author: Alex as Guest,

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:18 pm

This looks really good, Fatima, I'm very intruiged. Slight niggle though, Poirot is Belgian not French and he's rather sensitve about it.

#6: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:28 pm

Ooh a Poirot murder mystery, huzzah!

I wish Hastings was there to admire the red-headed Gillian though Very Happy

Thanks Fatima

#7: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:05 pm

Alex as Guest wrote:

This looks really good, Fatima, I'm very intruiged. Slight niggle though, Poirot is Belgian not French and he's rather sensitve about it.

Taken care of - how could I forget that Embarassed

Here is a little more, just to add a few details.

"We had a wonderful firework display, and any number of people from the Platz attended. Our girls were serving refreshments and everything seemed to be going so well. It was only when we were clearing up at the end of the evening that we found Odette had disappeared." Miss Culver stopped talking as she carefully negotiated a particularly tight bend in the road, restarting her speech as she accelerated away from the corner. "Our handyman, Gerhard, found her the next day, lying behind the bushes in the corner of the garden."
"Have the police been involved?" Monsieur Poirot asked.
"Yes, they have been all over the school," Miss Culver told him. "But they have no leads, or at least that is what they have told us. We all feel under suspicion and the atmosphere at school is dreadful. No one is allowed to leave – they have taken all of our passports - and everyone is scared. I thought that we should call on you, because I have heard how wonderful you are at solving mysteries and being discrete. I just want it all cleared up so that we can get on with our lives without being frightened of our own shadows and suspicious of our friends."
"You have come to the right person, Mademoiselle," Poirot said reassuringly. "I have never yet failed to solve a case. I am the personification of discretion. I always get my man – or, in some cases, woman. Do not fear any longer, for I, Hercule Poirot, promise that I will have the villain apprehended and all will be well with St. Mildred's once more."
"There's just one more thing," Gillian said, sounding rather nervous.
"What is that, Mademoiselle?" asked Poirot.
"I have told Miss Wilson, the Head Mistress, that you are my uncle," Gillian answered. "I could not think of any other way to ensure that you could stay at St. Mildred's to be on hand to conduct your investigation. I said that you had been feeling poorly and that you wished to come to the Alps for the bracing air."
At the thought of the bracing air, Poirot spluttered. "It is as well that I brought my favourite tisanes," he told her. "I do not wish to catch the cold from your bracing air. But I will be your uncle, Ma Petite, and not let the dog out of the bag."
"The cat," Gillian put in helpfully.
"Excusez moi?" Poirot asked. "I do not like les chats, Mademoiselle."
"Let the cat out of the bag," she replied. "That is the expression, not let the dog out of the bag."
"Ah, cat, dog," Poirot said dismissively, "I do not care for either. But I will play along with you, and also conduct my discrete investigation."
"Thank you," said Gillian gratefully. "We are here now, Monsieur Poirot. This is St. Mildred's, the finishing branch of the Chalet School."

#8: Author: Rosea, Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:28 pm

oooh, this is really intriguing - thanks Fatima.

#9: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 3:29 pm

ooh, I AM excited to see where this will go, Fatima - Poirot was always my favourite of Christie's detectives. Mr. Green

And it's intriguing, those three girls dying - a real whodunnit at St Mildred's!
Thanks for this!

#10: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 9:38 pm

Thanks, Fatima. This is great and I hope Poirot can solve the mystery.

#11: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:18 pm

Oooooh this is looking fantastic. Can't wait to find out who the murderer is!

Thanks Fatima

#12: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:38 am

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I'm not too sure who the murderer is, so I hope Poirot can find out.

Gillian parked the car outside the large chalet and then Poirot accompanied her into the school. Fortunately, all the girls were at their afternoon lessons and they managed to reach Poirot's room without meeting anyone. Poirot looked approvingly at the small room, for it was very comfortable despite its size. He quickly unpacked his case, stowing his things with his usual impeccable neatness. Gill hovered by the door. Now that she had got the famous detective to the school, she was not really sure what she should do with him.
"It will be time for kaffee und kuchen soon," she said when he appeared to have finished his unpacking. "Would you like to come and sit in my office until then? Perhaps I can answer any questions that you might have."
"By all means," he said amenably. "Lead on, mademoiselle."
Gillian led him down to her small office, located adjoining that of Miss Wilson, and with a lovely view across the front garden of St. Mildred's. It also afforded a glimpse of anyone approaching the front door of the chalet, something that Poirot was quick to note. He sat down on the window seat, as the office boasted only one chair, that being behind Miss Culver's desk. Gillian perched on the corner of her desk and looked expectantly at the great detective.
"Tell me about the girls who died," he said, fixing her with his serious gaze.
"The first girl was very new," said Gillian, thinking back to Lisa Smith. "I didn't know her very well at all. She wasn't our usual type of girl, though. She was…well…common, I suppose." Gill looked uncomfortable as she used the word, something which did not go unnoticed by her guest.
"Why do you say that?" he asked.
"She had a very common accent," said Gillian, wishing she did not sound so snobbish. "Usually the girls that come here from England speak English well, even if they do have a variety of regional accents. Lisa dropped her 'h's and her grammar was not all it could be. She seemed very sweet and kind, though, and on the day her family sent her a huge cake the first thing she did was make sure everyone had a slice, even the kitchen staff."
"What about the second victim?"
"Her name was Christelle Fairfax. She was, to be frank, a bit of a problem."
"In what way?" Poirot prompted.
"She was very sophisticated," said Gill diplomatically.
Poirot waited patiently, knowing that she would feel obliged to elaborate on her comment.
"She was not very interested in her studies," said Gillian at length. "She preferred to sneak out of the school and hang out with the ski instructors and the tour guides. She viewed her year here as an opportunity to have fun, rather than to study."
"And was she popular with the other students?"
"There were those who seemed to admire her and those who did not have much time for her," answered Gillian. "The third girl was Odette Mercier. She was at the Chalet School for several years before she came to us. She was very quiet and reserved although she did have some good friends here."

#13: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:05 am

Oh no, they killed Odette! Hope Poirot catches the murderer!!

#14: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:20 pm

Thanks, Fatima. Am I right in guessing that Fatima hasn't met Armand yet? Or is this an alternative universe? I'm sorry if I am confusing things.

I put Fatima instead of Gill, by mistake. Embarassed

I can't believe I made that mistake - I am so silly!

Thanks, Fatima. I hope everyone will cooperate and help to solve the mystery.

Last edited by Chair on Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

#15: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 5:15 pm

Well I thought I saw a pattern, then you mentioned Odette! More soon please Fatima.

#16: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:38 pm

3 entirely different girls - how intriguing! Poor Odette, especially Sad

Thanks!

#17: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:34 pm

The bunnies have now run off and abandoned me Confused

I am hoping they return before too long, as I want to know who dunnit! I think this is an alternative universe; I don't think Armand is around, or Pierre either, thank goodness!

Before Poirot could ask any more questions, the bell rang, signalling the end of afternoon classes. A moment later the door to the office opened and a tall, white haired lady appeared, carrying a pile of exercise books. She looked quizzically at Gillian, sitting on the desk then saw the visitor, ensconced comfortably on the window seat.
"Bon jour, Madame," Poirot said, standing up to greet the Head Mistress of the school.
Gillian stood up as well, to make the introductions. "Miss Wilson, this is my uncle…Hercule," she said, knowing that she had given the game away before she had even started. "Uncle Hercule, this is Miss Wilson, the Head Mistress of St. Mildred's."
Poirot, who had been watching Miss Wilson closely, shook hands with her. "It is very nice to meet you," he said smoothly.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Monsieur Poirot," replied Miss Wilson equally smoothly. She gave Gill a strange look then turned back to the visitor. "I think it is a good thing you are here, Monsieur. We certainly have need of your services at the moment."
"Yes, Mademoiselle Gillian has just been telling me a little about it," Poirot said, waving towards the window seat. "Why don't you sit down, Miss Wilson," he suggested, taking the exercise books from her.
"I don't have time to sit down," said Miss Wilson. "It will be time for Kaffee in a moment and I have to go and wash. Perhaps we could have a chat afterwards?"
"Yes, that would be very pleasant," said Poirot, placing the books in a meticulous pile on Miss Culver's desk. He quickly straightened the pens and papers already there, and then turned back to Gillian. "Where do we partake of this Kaffee you keep mentioning?" he asked.
"We can have it sent here, or we can eat in the staff room with the rest of the mistresses," Gillian told him.
"Bien," he answered. "We will take our Kaffee with them."
Miss Wilson had already gone off to wash and tidy herself before the meal, so Gillian took Poirot along to the staffroom. As they went up the stairs, Poirot put out his hand to stop Gillian.
"I think," he said softly, "It would be better to abandon the uncle story."
Gillian smiled ruefully. "I think you are right," she said. "I'm not a very good actress, am I?"
"Not really," he agreed, patting her arm comfortingly. "But do not worry, Mademoiselle, together we will sort out this mess."
They went on to the staffroom, where the mistresses were just arriving for their meal. Looking around, Poirot guessed that the ladies assembled there were usually a jolly bunch, but they certainly did not look jolly that day. They had long faces and looked strained and anxious. Three deaths in a term was not a good way to ensure that the school remained open and that they remained in its employ. Unless the perpetrator of those crimes was brought swiftly to justice, they would be out of work and would always have the fear of their past catching up with them.
As the secretary and her companion entered the room, some of the ladies looked over and one of them, a tall, slim woman in a matron's uniform leaped to her feet. "Monsieur Poirot!" she exclaimed. "Whatever brings you here?"
Poirot strutted across the room and bowed politely to the tall lady. "It is indeed Hercule Poirot," he said. "And I am sure you are already aware of the tragic events that bring me here. May I have the honour of knowing whom I am addressing?"
"I'm Gertrude Rider, matron here," answered that lady. "I'm thrilled to meet you, Monsieur Poirot. I have heard so much about you and how wonderful you are at solving inexplicable cases like ours."
"Yes," agreed Poirot, "All you have heard is doubtless true. I have solved a good many puzzling mysteries."
Another of the mistresses, Grace Nalder, brought Poirot some coffee and a plate of the delicious bread twists that they usually ate at this time. Violet Norton, the English mistress, pulled up a chair for the visitor and soon Poirot was seated in the centre of the group and was skillfully drawing all of the mistresses out about the dreadful crimes that had taken place in the school. They were all only too happy to discuss it with him, filling him in with all sorts of details about both the crimes and the girls themselves. Gill sat on the edge of the group, watching and listening, even though she had heard them all cover the same ground time and time again. They had thought about the crimes from every angle, suspecting everyone from the Head down to the youngest of the girls, and everyone in between, from Gerhard, the handyman to Jack Maynard, the head of the Gornetz Platz Sanatorium. They had tried to avoid speculating about their own involvement in the crimes, knowing that they had to live and work together and not wanting to feel uncomfortable accusing one another, but Gillian and Gertrude, a close friend of hers, had spent many hours closeted in the San together, reassuring one another and wondering if one of their colleagues was responsible for the murders. Gillian guessed that the other mistresses would have done the same with their own friends, looking at the motives and opportunities presented to their colleagues and wondering if the murderer was someone they sat beside at dinner every day.

#18: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:59 pm

Hope the bunnies come back soon - maybe they've just gone Christmas shopping? Thanks Fatima.

#19: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 4:59 pm

Ooh, that final line about suspecting the murderer might be sitting next to you - chilling. Wink

But very interesting to see Poirot with the St Mildred's staff. More 'very smooth' scenes with Poirot and Miss Wilson, please! Her matter-of-fact skepticism should cause some nice tension when brought up against Poirot's considerable ego!

Thanks Fatima!

#20: Author: Alex, Location: Cambs, UK

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 5:34 pm

This is really good, Fatima, you've captured Poirot perfectly. I hope your bunnies come back soon.

#21: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 1:10 pm

Once the meal was over, Poirot seemed in no hurry to leave the staffroom. He had been settled into the most comfortable armchair and had been provided with some of the best cakes the cook could supply, and the speculation continued until the mistresses recalled various commitments that they had for the evening. Finally, Miss Wilson put in an appearance, and Poirot promptly invited her to take him down to her office for a more private chat. Gillian watched them go, hoping that the great detective had learned something from his discussions with the staff, although something that would help him to find that the criminal was some itinerant lunatic, not someone known to them all and involved with either St. Mildred's or the Chalet School proper.
Later, when he left Miss Wilson's office, Poirot found Gillian in her own office and suggested that she might like to show him his room once more. They went upstairs and into the little room where he was to stay and Poirot waved Gillian into the one chair that the room boasted. He went over to stand by the window, looking out into the darkness for a while, before turning to his companion again.
"Miss Wilson is a fascinating lady," he told Gillian. "Have you known her long?"
"Yes, for years and years," Gillian answered. "She was the Head when I was at school myself."
"Tell me about her," prompted Poirot.
Gillian told him the little she knew about Miss Wilson's background, of how she had long been the co-Head of the Chalet School, and of how she had been thrilled to move to Switzerland to open the new finishing branch of the school. Gillian explained her own return as the secretary, and assured Poirot that she had noticed no change in Miss Wilson that term. "She is a very hard working woman," Gillian concluded. "She always wants what is best for the school. It's her life."
"Quite," said Poirot thoughtfully. "And what of the other co-Head? What has happened to her?"
"Miss Annersley is Head of the Chalet School, just along the Platz," answered Gillian. "She often comes here to talk to Miss Wilson and Miss Wilson goes there a lot to talk to her. They are very good friends."
"And is there competition between them?" asked Poirot. "About the exam results or anything?"
"Not as far as I know," answered Gillian.
"And there is also Matron Rider," said Poirot. "She had an opportunity with the second victim, as she would be able to come and go in the San without attracting attention."
"Oh, Gertrude would not hurt a fly," Gillian said, coming to the defence of her friend at once. "She is the kindest, sweetest person I know."
"Many people have said that about some of the cruellest, most vicious killers I have known," said Poirot sadly. "Their friends are shocked by these sweet people who are murderers."
"The cupboards of the San were searched after Christelle's death," Gillian said, "And the bottle containing the medicine that Christelle had taken was analysed at the San. It was exactly as it should have been. But Christelle was killed by some arsenic she had been given sometime during the night."
"Hmm," said Poirot thoughtfully, sitting down on the bed. He sat for a while in silence, digesting the information that he had received, his eyes closed and the tips of his fingers pressed together. "Can you show me where these crimes were committed?" he asked suddenly.
"Of course," said Gill. "Lisa fell down the main staircase and Christelle died in the San."
Poirot stood up and smoothed the bedcovers until they had returned to their previous neatness then he opened the door for Gill and together they went along to the main staircase. Poirot examined the floor around the top of the staircase, but found nothing amiss. There was no ill fitting floor board that could have caused someone to trip and fall to their death. There was no visible explanation for the accident.
"Do you think she was pushed?" asked Gillian quietly.
"I can see no other way for it to have happened," responded the detective. He started down the stairs, walking with exaggerated care, and stopped at the bottom. He turned and looked up the staircase again, watching Gillian following him down. In the hall he looked around, but it was as tidy as the rest of the chalet. The incident had happened so many weeks previously that there was not likely to be any evidence left.
After that, they went up to the San, where they found Gertrude Rider checking the newly returned laundry, sorting it out ready for it being returned to its owners. She welcomed Poirot into her domain, but told him that she had found nothing that could provide any clue to the identity of the murderer. Nothing had been taken from her cabinets and she had no idea who could have come in during the night and killed Christelle.

#22: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 1:58 pm

Surely it wasn't Gertrude?!!

#23: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 2:13 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I am very curious to find out how the arsenic got to Christelle.

#24: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 2:16 pm

*very intrigued*

Thanks Fatima - this is excellently written

#25: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 2:43 pm

Loving the little details about Poirot's obsessive-compulsiveness about being neat - this is exactly the Poirot I know!
Intrigued to find out more about the murderers and the arsenic!

#26: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:18 pm

Thank you for your comments; it's always lovely to read them.

After Abendessen that evening, all the girls were assembled in the hall, and Poirot stood up to speak to them. He explained that he had been called in to solve the dreadful crimes that had happened in the school and urged them all to think back over the events of the term and to try to recall any incident, however trivial sounding, and to come and tell him about it. He promised to be available for them to speak to for the rest of the evening and at most times over the next few days, so they should all feel free to run him to earth either in his room or in Miss Culver's office and to tell him anything they thought might be important to the case.
The girls themselves looked as strained as the staff had done. They were mostly aged seventeen and eighteen and were shocked by what had happened. Several sets of parents had written to ask for their daughters to be sent home immediately, but the police were not permitting any of them to leave. Some of them now refused to go anywhere alone, so they hung round in groups of three or four, or more, feeling that there was safety in numbers. Gillian wondered if they would be brave enough to go off alone to meet Poirot, or if they would be too scared to impart any information they might have.
Gillian accompanied Poirot to her office and they sat together with one of the Belgian's famed tisanes. Privately, Gill thought it was about the same as drinking the water from the bath, but she did not wish to upset her new friend, so she did her best to drink it with as much enjoyment as he was displaying. Poirot was slurping his tisane with more regard for pleasure than delicacy; Gill was hard-pushed not to burst out laughing as he noisily finished off his beverage.
"The tisane is excellent for keeping the little grey cells in fine fettle," Poirot told her, replacing the cup on the saucer. "Now I am prepared for the first of our interviews. It will be interesting to see who turns up first, will it not?"
"You don't think they will be too scared to come and talk to you?" asked Gill, knowing that she would have felt terrified if this had happened whilst she was at school. In fact, she did feel terrified, although there had been no evidence that the perpetrator had any desire to finish off the teaching staff.
A knock at the door proved Gillian wrong.
"Entrez," Poirot called, settling himself more comfortably behind the desk.
They watched as the door opened and not one but four girls appeared. Leading the way was a striking looking girl with long chestnut hair arranged in an elegant chignon. Behind her was a taller girl, her fair hair short and curly. The third girl looked even more nervous than the first two had done, and was clinging to the hand of the fourth girl.
"Bon soir Monsieur Poirot," the first girl said, her French fluent and prettily accented. "We have some information to share with you."
"Come in," he said, speaking reassuringly to the girls. "I am delighted that you came to speak with me. First, tell me your names."
"I'm Margot Maynard," the second girl said, then she gestured at her companions. "These are my sisters Len and Con, and this is our friend, Joan Baker."
"And what is it exactly that you know?" Poirot asked, looking seriously at the quartet.
"Go on, Joan, tell him," Len hissed, turning to the third girl.

#27: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:22 pm

Ooh and err...

Thank you Fatima, you have captured Poirot so well Very Happy

#28: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:28 pm

Hooray for Joan being allowed to have some friends after the way EBD treated her Wink

! But what does she know ... Rolling Eyes

#29: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:57 am

Please post more soon, Fatima, so we can find out what Joan knows.

#30: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:50 pm

With a sniff, Joan took a crumpled paper out of her pocket. "I found this in my desk this morning," she said, looking as if she was going to break down in tears at any moment.
Poirot took the paper carefully from her, although it had evidently been so well thumbed that it would be unlikely to yield any useful fingerprints. He placed it on the table in front of him and smoothed it out, revealing a message that had been cut from the pages of a newspaper. It was chilling in tone and he could understand why the girl was so distraught. It was short and to the point, saying, 'Work harder or you may be next'.
"Ma pauvre petite," Poirot said sympathetically. "This is very upsetting. But do not fear. Poirot is now here and he will make sure that nothing happens to you."
As he finished speaking Joan broke down into sobs. "But I am working hard," she protested. "I'm not as clever as some of the other girls here, but I am really trying."
"Of course you are," said Poirot, offering her his meticulously folded handkerchief. "Dry your eyes, Mademoiselle. Please do not be frightened. I, Hercule Poirot, promise that you will come to no harm while I am here."
Gillian, reading the note, went white. So there really was a killer on the loose in the school. There really was some madman – mad woman, she corrected herself – running round, bumping off the students. She could understand why Joan was distraught; she would have been equally upset herself had she received a scary letter like that.
"And when, exactly, did you receive this note?" Poirot asked, looking back at the message.
"I found it in my desk this morning, just after break," Joan said, making a visible effort to pull herself together. She was still clinging to Con's arm, her hands shaking and her face deathly pale, but she was speaking in a steadier voice now. "It must have been put there while we were at break. I only told the triplets, no one else. We don't know who to trust any more."
"Bien sur," Poirot agreed gravely. "You are quite right to tell no one. I will keep this if I may, Mademoiselle. Please do not fear. You will be quite safe. You will go to your room, all four of you, and lock the door. Do not open it again tonight. Tomorrow I will come personally and call you for your breakfast."
The four white faced girls nodded. Margot had already planned to move in with Joan and Con, turning Rikki Fry out of her bed so that she could share with two people she trusted. Between them, they could find enough blankets for Len to come and join them, sleeping on the floor if necessary. They thanked Poirot for his help and headed off together, presumably to prepare for another sleepless night.

#31: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:40 pm

Poor Rikki Fry, left to the mercies of the Millies Murderer! Wink

Thanks though, Fatima. Poor Joan, getting a note like that - I enjoyed seeing the triplets at Millie's though, and am looking forward to seeing how they play a part in the unfolding mystery.

#32: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:53 pm

Oh poor Joan. I hope no-one else is going to be killed!

#33: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:59 pm

Thanks Fatima - am really enjoying this Very Happy

Liz

#34: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:11 am

I missed that last update yesterday. Thanks Fatima. More soon please?

#35: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:35 am

I hope there'll be lots more of this very soon.

#36: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:42 pm

Thanks for the comments. I'm on holiday now, so I am hoping to find time to do some more of this.

"Well, what do you make of that, Mademoiselle Gill?" asked Poirot as the door closed behind the girls.
"It's dreadful," Gillian replied, still looking decidedly nervous.
"Yes," agreed Poirot. "Our killer is trying to tell us something."
"But what?" asked Gillian. "Will she kill again? Will she try to kill Joan?"
"Tell me a little about Joan," suggested Poirot.
"Joan found it quite difficult to settle down when she first arrived at the Chalet School," said Gillian, for she had heard all about Joan Baker's problems. "However, in the end she really did make an effort and became a credit to the school. She did leave the school and go back to England, but her grandfather decided she should return to St. Mildred's for a year. She is a little older than the other girls, and she has become very mature and reliable now. She has worked really hard at her languages and is actually doing very well."
"So what was the meaning of that note?" Poirot wondered. "Let's go and see what else we can discover, before we get any more visitors."
Poirot stood up and went straight to the connecting door that led to Miss Wilson's office. He rapped on the door, but there was no reply, so he walked into the Head's room anyhow. He glanced around, taking in every detail, then went over to the desk and sat down in Miss Wilson's chair. Thoughtfully he put his head under the table and pulled out the waste paper basket. With scant regard for Miss Wilson's desk, he emptied the bin onto the blotter. Gillian watched in amazement as he poked through the contents of the bin, then he produced some pieces of newspaper that had been cut up.
"That's not…" Gillian began in a horrified whisper, but she was unable to continue.
"Yes, Mademoiselle," Poirot said. "It is the very paper from which the letters were cut."
"But that means…" again Gillian was lost for words.
"Not necessarily," said Poirot calmly. "It is for us to work out what it means. Come, we must return to your office. I am expecting more visitors."
Gillian hastily shovelled the rest of the rubbish back into the bin and replaced it under Miss Wilson's desk before following Poirot back to her office. No sooner had they settled themselves than someone was knocking on the door again.

#37: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:01 pm

Surely Bill is not a mass murderer Rolling Eyes

!

Hope you enjoy your time off, Fatima. I finish tomorrow, hooray!

#38: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:23 pm

No not Miss Wilson.... Shocked

Thank you Fatima!

#39: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:55 pm

Has Miss Wilson lost the plot? Shocked

I hope not!

More, please, Fatima! Smile

#40: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:37 am

Here is a little more for you. Thanks for your comments.

Again Poirot called out, "Entrez," and when the door opened a fair, Germanic looking girl appeared. She looked just as anxious as the previous group of girls, and she hovered uncertainly by the door until Poirot encouraged her to come in. "Entrez, Mademoiselle," he said patiently. "Come in and talk to me, tell me what you know about these dreadful crimes."
"I don't really know anything," the girl answered in English, though with a strong German accent.
"What is your name?" Poirot asked her.
"Hildegard Muller," she answered, finally managing to make it into the room and closing the door behind her.
Gillian looked at the girl; she had not been at the Chalet School and since her arrival at St. Mildred's had kept herself to herself. She had not made any close friends, although she was on good terms with most other folk. She was very reserved and quiet, a hardworking girl with a very serious outlook on life. Mind you, Gill thought that the events of the term had not exactly encouraged any of the new girls to make friends. It had all been very traumatic and Gillian was sure that a good number of the new girls would not be returning to St. Mildred's after the Christmas holidays.
"And what have you to tell us?" Poirot asked.
"It's probably nothing," said Hildegard. "I probably should not have come here and disturbed you."
"Of course you should have disturbed us," said Poirot, still sounding patient. "What is it that is bothering you?"
"I was feeling rather sick on the evening that Christelle…died," Hildegard said, wringing her hands together. "I was coming back from the bathroom and I saw someone coming out of the San. It was really dark and I didn't get a good look at them."
"At what time was this?" asked Poirot eagerly.
"I'm not sure," answered Hildegard. "Maybe two or two thirty in the morning, I am not sure. I was feeling poorly, so I had lain awake for a while, trying to sleep."
"And was this person tall or short? What did you notice about them?" asked Poirot.
"Nothing, really," said Hildegard, sounding apologetic. "She was of average build. But I think she had long hair, in a plait down her back."
Gillian thought about Gertrude Rider's short curly hair and breathed a sigh of relief. It could not be Gertrude, then.
"And her clothes?" Poirot went on.
"She was wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown."
"Thank you, Fraulein," said Poirot, sounding satisfied. "You have been of great help."
"I'm glad," Hildegard replied, sounding relieved. "It is just too horrid all this happening at school. We are all very scared."
"You should be scared no longer," said Poirot reassuringly. "I will have this case tied up soon and then all may sleep soundly at night. Go off to your room, lock the door and sleep soundly, for Poirot is now here, and he is better than any watchdog."
Gillian, who was surprised by the little man's great ego, had to bite her lip to stop herself from chuckling at this remark, and just for a moment, she thought Hildegard was also trying not to laugh.
"Danke sehr," said Hildegard, and she turned and left the room.
"These girls, they will solve the case for us," said Poirot seriously. "They will have all the information we require, if only we can persuade them to share it with us."
"At least that clears Gertrude," said Gillian. "She doesn't match the description at all."
"If the description was truthfully given," Poirot pointed out gently. "It is not good to jump to conclusions, Mademoiselle. Often people tell lies. First we have to discover those who tell the lies then we have to find out why they lie. After that, the truth becomes as clear as day."
Before Gillian could answer this, a bell rang. "That means it is almost bed time," she informed the detective. "We are not as strict here about bed time as in school, but all of the girls are expected to go by a reasonable hour. They now have another half an hour to finish up whatever they are doing and to get themselves ready."

#41: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:52 am

I'm surprised their parents haven't made them go home already! Thanks Fatima - love seeing Poirot at St Mildred's.

#42: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:17 pm

Thanks Fatima - I'm a bit bummed that I'll be away from my computer for about a week for the holidays, since I want to read more! But will eagerly catch up on everything when I return! Smile

#43: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:19 am

Towards the end of the evening, just before the end of the half hour that Gillian had mentioned, another knock was heard and two more girls came nervously into Miss Culver's office. They introduced themselves as Theodora Grantley and Frances Wilford. Again, Poirot listened gravely to what they had to say.
"We were with Odette for a long time that evening," Ted said, her pale pointed face showing the strain that she had been under since the death of her friend. "She left us just before the finale of the display; that was the last time we saw her. She told us she was going to put on another jumper because she was so cold."
"She was always cold in winter," Francie put in. "She loved to sit close to the fire or the heater. We used to call her a dormouse."
"We joined up with Margot – Margot Maynard," Ted continued. "We stayed with Margot all the time, even when we were clearing up. We went inside for some cocoa and then we all went off to bed."
"Margot and I are in the same room," Francie added.
"Quite," said Poirot. "So what is it that you noticed exactly?"
Francie and Ted exchanged glances. "Nothing," Francie reluctantly admitted.
"Then I fail to understand the point of your story," said Poirot.
Again the two girls exchanged glances. Finally Ted said, "Margot had an argument with Odette the day before. Odette has…had…been with us for years, but she and Margot did not get on."
When Ted seemed to run out of steam, Francie took over the rather confused explanation. "We were worried that Margot would be suspected of the…the…"
"Murder," Poirot put in helpfully.
"Yes," Francie continued resolutely. "She could not possibly have done it, because she was with us all the time. We watched the end of the firework display and then we went inside together. We had our cocoa and went up to bed. Margot and I chatted for a while about the display – it was wonderful."
"We were disturbed shortly after we went to bed," Ted put in. "Matron came round to ask if we had seen Odette, because she was missing. There was a search of the house, but no one found her. Miss Wilson was almost sick with worry by breakfast the next day. But Margot wasn't involved. We were with her all the time."
"And why would we suspect Mademoiselle Maynard?" Poirot wondered, almost as if he was thinking aloud.
"Because they argued," said Ted.
"And because she has a reputation for having a hot temper," added Francie, who had obviously decided that they might as well fill in all the details. "But we know it was not her."
"You are to be praised for your friendship," said Poirot. "Let me reassure you both on one point; Poirot does not make mistakes. Poirot collects all the evidence and then he sets the little grey cells to work. He discovers the criminal and they are apprehended. If someone is innocent, Poirot will not mistake them for the guilty one. Please do not worry, Mesdemoiselles, your friend will only be in trouble if she is guilty."
Although they did not look noticeably reassured, Francie and Ted thanked Poirot for listening to them and disappeared off upstairs to bed. Poirot stood up and pushed the chair in under the desk. "I think it is time I retired, too," he said. "We will, no doubt, have a very busy day tomorrow, apprehending killers."
Gillian, aware of the amount of work she had not done thanks to spending so much time with Poirot, realized that she would need to be up bright and early the next day, so she followed him from the room and upstairs. She wished him goodnight outside his room and went on down the corridor to her own room.

#44: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:07 am

Thank you Fatima, Im still at a complete lost, but these interviews are very interesting!

#45: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 12:22 pm

I've no idea who it could be either! Thanks Fatima.

#46: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:43 pm

I know what the solution is. No, I'm not gloating. We should nag Fatima until she posts a lot more of this.

#47: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:51 pm

Ok, then, here's a little more!

Once inside she locked the door and pushed a chair up under the door handle as she had done every night since it became apparent that there was a killer on the lose in St. Mildred's. She changed for bed, thinking of Joan and how anxious she must be feeling at that moment. Things always seemed so much worse at night, Gill found. It was awful being left alone in the dark, trying not to listen to any little noises, and yet too scared to do anything more than lie in bed straining every nerve to hear the slightest sound. It was frightening wondering if someone was creeping along the corridor, intent on malicious activities, terrified of being on the receiving end of such activities. Sending up a special prayer for Joan, Gillian climbed into bed, and lay down. She was surprised to find that her usually comfortable bed felt extremely lumpy, so she got up, wondering if the bottom blanket had somehow got wrinkled, but once she had smoothed it out, the bed still felt lumpy. Annoyed now, and feeling not a little like the princess and the pea, Gillian lifted the mattress and put a hand underneath it. She found her fingers touching something smooth, so she caught hold of it and pulled it out. It was a small bottle with a picture of a skull and crossbones on the label.
Gill sat down on the bed with a bump, feeling suddenly chilled to the bone. She looked again at the label, just to check that her imagination was not playing tricks on her, but it clearly said 'Arsenic', below the skull and crossbones. Biting her lip, Gillian stared at the little bottle, as if will-power alone was enough to make it disappear. Then, Gillian found herself seized by a thought more chilling than the realization that the murderer had been in her room. As she was in possession of the bottle, she would become a prime suspect in the murder investigation.

#48: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:00 pm

Thanks Fatima. If nagging does it, I'll carry on.

#49: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:38 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I can never solve murder mysteries until the murderer is revealed. I look forward to finding out who it is.

#50: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 10:07 pm

No! Quick -turn it in, Gill.

Thnak Fatima, this is all really interesting!

#51: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:13 pm

Gillian had no idea how the bottle had got under her mattress, but she knew that she had to get rid of it quickly. There was no way she wanted to be caught with the bottle of poison that had killed Christelle in her possession. She briefly considered waking Poirot and telling him the story, but she wondered if he would believe her. Trying to be calm, Gillian decided that it would be best to hide the bottle. She did not want to leave it anywhere that might incriminate any of her friends, or any of the girls. Surely the great Poirot would be able to solve the case; he had never failed to solve any case he had taken on, so she had heard. He would have the killer apprehended and no one would ever need to know about the little poison bottle. It would be mysterious, but it would be unimportant if it was not found.
Gillian thought about all the different rooms in the school, rejecting each one as a potential hiding place. She could not put it in anyone's bedroom, or in the classrooms, as they were too often cleaned. The same was true for the music rooms. If she left it in the box rooms, it would be discovered as soon as the trunks were removed. What about the stationery cupboard, she wondered. Perhaps if she hid it right at the back, behind something that was not used often, it would go unnoticed until the investigation was over. She could then retrieve it and dispose of it more appropriately.
Happy to have found a solution to her problem, Gillian realized that she felt very cold. She climbed into bed, still clutching the little bottle, and pulled her plumeau closely around herself. She decided that it would be best to wait until later to sneak away to the stationery cupboard, for there would be less chance of meeting anyone, be they friend or foe. She gradually began to feel warmer as she sat huddled under the plumeau, the little bottle clutched in her hand and her senses straining for any sounds outside her door. Everything was quiet, though, and it became difficult to stay awake. Finally, Gill got out of bed again, pulled on her dressing gown and slippers and prepared to sneak out of her room and down to the stationary cupboard.
As she went towards the bedroom door, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and received her second shock of the evening. She was a figure in a dressing gown and pyjamas with a long plait hanging down her back. If anyone saw her creeping around in the middle of the night with a little bottle that had once contained arsenic they would probably wrestle her to the ground and scream for help before she could attack them. No one would ever believe her innocence after that.
Gill paused by the dressing table to catch up a handful of hair pins and to secure her hair in a bun, then she shoved the little bottle into the pocket of her dressing gown and unlocked her door as quietly as she could. She crept out into the passage, glad that it was lit by dim night lights. There was no sound to be heard as she moved stealthily down the corridor, skilfully avoiding the creaky floorboards, and then she tiptoed downstairs. As she reached the bottom, she thought she heard the floorboards creaking, but she guessed it was just her nerves. It was very scary creeping through the darkness knowing that someone in the building had already killed three girls and threatened another one.
Gill finally reached the door of the stationery cupboard and opened it. She was not sure whether she should switch on the light; she tried to weigh the thought of someone noticing the light and coming down to investigate against the worry that she would accidentally knock something over in the darkness and thereby disturb someone upstairs. Finally, she decided to risk the light. She switched it on and was momentarily dazzled by the brightness of it, but once her eyes had grown accustomed to it, she took the little bottle from her pocket and looked thoughtfully at the shelves, searching for the best hiding place.
Suddenly Gill heard a sound behind her, but before she could turn to see what it was, someone had clobbered her over the head with something extremely hard and she fell to the floor with a dull thud.

#52: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 7:38 pm

Fatima, I know you said the other week that you were thinking of having Gill exorcised, but please don't say that you've had her murdered instead!! Thanks for the Christmas Day update Very Happy

#53: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 7:58 pm

Fatima, you're a star. An update, on Christmas Day! Thank you.

#54: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:46 am

Gill would not allow me to do away with her!

When Gill came round again she was lying in bed in the San. She opened her eyes and found Gertrude Rider bending anxiously over her, while Poirot was seated on the other side of the bed. Her head was aching and she suddenly realized that she was going to be very sick. Fortunately, Gertrude seemed to have been expecting that, for she quickly produced a basin, then she gently wiped Gillian's face with a cool cloth and settled her more comfortably against the pillows.
"Mademoiselle, could you tell us what happened?" asked Poirot, once Gillian was comfortable.
"I was going to the stationery cupboard," Gillian said, feeling as though it had all happened to someone else. "I was hit on the head by someone who crept up on me from behind."
"What were you doing going to the stationery cupboard in the middle of the night?" asked Poirot.
Gillian took a deep breath as she considered her position. Should she tell the truth, or should she claim that she had been sleepwalking or make up some other story to account for her presence in the stationery cupboard at such a strange hour? Then she looked at Poirot, who was regarding her with his frank gaze, and she knew that she could trust him. He would find out the truth and even if her story sounded preposterous, she knew that he would believe her.
"I found the poison bottle under my mattress," she said. "I was scared that I would be suspected of the murders, so I was going to hide the bottle. I thought the stationery cupboard would be the best place to hide it, as no one goes there to clean or tidy and so it would stay hidden until it was safe to get rid of it."
"And I thought you were a sensible and level headed girl," came another voice, that of Miss Wilson.
Gill turned towards the speaker and found that she, too, was in bed in the San. "Bill!" she exclaimed, using the school's nickname for the mistress in her shock. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, it has been a night of excitement," said 'Bill' with a wry smile.
"And are you going to share that excitement with me?" Gillian demanded, eager now to hear what had been going on.
"Patience is a virtue," Miss Wilson reminded her sweetly. "Owing to the nature of your injury, I think sleep would be better for you right now. We can share our tales of adventure in the morning."
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Gertrude put in at that point. "Her hair saved her from the worst of the blow. She has a wonderfully thick head of hair and knotted up like that it was very good protection."
"I did that so that I wouldn't look like the murderer," Gillian recalled. "Otherwise I would have looked just like the person Hildegard saw coming out of the san that night. So are you going to tell me what happened?"
"We have apprehended the criminal," Poirot told her gravely. "The case has been solved."
"Who was it?" Gillian could not stop herself from glancing over at the occupant of the next bed, something that did not go unnoticed by the Head of St. Mildred's.
"Not Mademoiselle Wilson," Poirot told her with a smile. "Although that is what the perpetrator wished us to believe."
"But why?" asked Gillian, puzzled.
"Perhaps we should explain properly," suggested Gertrude, perching on the edge of Gill's bed. "You tell the story, Nell, since you were so involved."

#55: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:08 am

He's solved the case already? I'm impressed Very Happy

. Please tell us who it was soon!

#56: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 1:40 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I'm glad they have found out who the murderer is but please could you tell us who it is is? I'm also pleased that Gill wasn't murdered.

#57: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:05 pm

I don't have Agatha Christie's talent for providing puzzling clues, so the denouement is not as clever as hers would have been. Hopefully it will not sound too contrived, though!

"I went to bed as usual," said Miss Wilson, "But I just could not fall asleep. I lay for a long time, tossing and turning and then decided to get up and make some tea and read for a while, in the hope of making myself feel sleepy. As I got over to the light switch, someone quietly opened my bedroom door and crept over to the bed. I switched on the lights to see who it was and she turned and I saw she had a gun. Before I could say anything, she fired at me."
Gillian gasped. "And are you all right?" she demanded.
"Fortunately she was a dreadful shot," said Miss Wilson. "The bullet grazed the top of my arm. I leaped at her and we had a scuffle, then Gertrude and Monsieur Poirot arrived on the scene."
"So who was it?" asked Gillian, still unable to guess the identity of the murderer.
"Hildegard Muller," said Miss Wilson.
"But why?" asked Gill, more puzzled than before. "Why on earth would she come and kill off the students?"
"She has explained it all," said Poirot. "She told us exactly why she carried out these heinous crimes, and what she hoped to achieve. But first, when we went to the aid of Mademoiselle Wilson, Mademoiselle Hildegard started telling us that she had apprehended the killer and locked her in the stationery cupboard downstairs."
Gillian's eyes widened as she realized that Hildegard had meant her.
"Naturally, we all rushed down to see who she had caught," Poirot continued. "We were rather surprised to find you, Mademoiselle Gillian, with the poison bottle clutched in your hand. It did make you look very suspicious."
Gillian groaned. "I did wonder if I should have gone to you and told you what had happened," she admitted.
"You should have," said Poirot reaching over to pat her hand. "But no matter. We brought you here to the San, and asked Mademoiselle Hildegard for her story. She explained that she had been disturbed by a noise from outside her door and had peeped out, to see you descending the stairs. She followed you and when she saw you looking at the poison bottle she knew that she had found the killer. She hit you over the head and pushed you right into the stationery cupboard, locked the door and dashed off to find Mademoiselle Wilson and tell her the story."
"So why did she shoot Miss Wilson?" Gill wanted to know. "Come to that, why was she wandering around the school with a gun anyhow?"
"She said that she had expected to find me in bed." Miss Wilson took up the story once more. "I surprised her and she shot at me without thinking, because she was in a state of nervous excitement because of catching the killer."
"It was after this that everything got a lot more complicated," Poirot continued. "When asked why she had a gun, she said she had been very scared and wanted to protect herself. However, she had no good answer to why she needed to bring a gun to school in the first place. She could not have known that the crimes were to be committed."
"You'll never believe what she said!" exclaimed Miss Wilson, obviously unable to wait any longer to explain the mystery. "She said she had only come here to get the school closed down! She came with the idea of bumping off the students so that the school would be closed."
"But why?" Gillian was really puzzled now.

#58: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:27 pm

Hmm.. *puzzles*

#59: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:13 pm

Thanks, Fatima. The mystery grows and grows.

#60: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 4:36 am

We are reaching the end of this now. I was wondering if you are all fed up with Gillian, because she seems to be enjoying the limelight so much that she has started to tell me another story. Would it be better if I just bumped her off now?

"Hildegard's mother was expelled from the school many years ago," Miss Wilson explained. "She had heard the story many times from her mother's family, and how ashamed they were of sending her to us, when we were such a dreadful school. Hildegard decided that she would do her mother a favour by killing the students and then framing the Head."
"Originally her plan was to make it look as if Mademoiselle Wilson was the murderer," said Poirot. "Hildegard had gone to her room not to tell her of the suspect locked in the cupboard, but to shoot Mademoiselle Wilson and make it look like suicide. We found the neatly typed suicide note in Mademoiselle Muller's pocket. Unfortunately, Mademoiselle Wilson was not in bed, so she had to change her story quickly, which led to her giving herself away."
Gillian looked as if she could not be more surprised. "I just can't believe it," she said. "Hildegard always seemed so pleasant, yet she was plotting such dreadful things. Thank goodness you couldn't sleep, Bill."
"Thank goodness," Miss Wilson agreed fervently.
"Now that everyone knows the full story, I think we should go back to bed and try to sleep for what remains of the night," Gertrude put in at that point. "Gill, you certainly need a good rest after a bang on the head."
Realizing that her head was aching, Gillian agreed with Matron. "Yes," she said, "I do feel tired. Where is Hildegard now?"
"She is locked in her room," said Poirot. "Tomorrow we will call for her mother and the police."
"Who is her mother?" asked Gillian, realizing that was the last part of the story.
"Thekla Von Stift," Bill put in. "She was with us for a couple of terms in Tyrol. We often wondered what became of her, and now we know."
After that revelation, Poirot headed off to bed while Gertrude made sure that her patients were comfortable. She warned them that the door between the San and her little room would be open and that they were not to spend time talking about the case but to go to sleep directly. Gillian and Miss Wilson did as they were bidden and although she had not expected to after so much excitement, Gill fell asleep immediately.

#61: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:37 am

Ooh, I'm feeling quite pleased now, because when you said she was German I wondered if Thekla was involved! Thanks Fatima - I'm getting really into mystery stories between this and Murder at Freudesheim!

I'm enjoying the Gillian stories so I for one would love to hear another one. Pretty please!

#62: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:00 am

Oooh I would never have guessed and Im glad Bill is ok! Gosh, Thekla has a lot to answer for! Thanks Fatima, and Im always happy to read another Gillian story Very Happy

#63: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:34 am

The next morning she slept late, as the rising bell was not rung. To celebrate the end of the terror that had gripped the finishing school, the girls were to have an enjoyable day. Lessons were cancelled and skiing was to be the order of the day, after a late breakfast. Gertrude allowed Gillian and Miss Wilson to leave the San, although the Head had to submit to being checked over by Dr. Maynard, when he arrived later that morning.
In the mean time, Hildegard's mother was called. She did not say much on the phone, so shocked was she by what had happened, but she promised to be on the first flight to Switzerland that she could get on. Hildegard herself was kept in her own room. Gertrude took her meals to her and found her red-eyed and miserable, but unwilling to speak to anyone. Poirot had a discrete word with the local police force, all of whom were overawed by his reputation, and they agreed that nothing would be done until the girl's mother had arrived.
It was late that evening that Thekla von Stift arrived at St. Mildred's. She was a tall, slim lady, with a thin, pinched look and faded sad blue eyes. She was dressed in a worn winter coat and old boots, and the suitcase that she carried looked battered. She carried herself well, though, showing that whatever she may have lost in her life, she had never lost her dignity.
She greeted Miss Wilson with grave politeness, but no warmth. She shook hands with Poirot and Gillian, who was privileged enough to be able to sit in on the final discussion of the case before Hildegard was handed over to the police.
Miss Wilson sent for tea and biscuits, which were brought promptly, then Poirot turned to the newcomer.
"Madame, you have heard a few of the details," he said. "Mademoiselle Hildegard is not telling us anything more and we wondered if you could help us to understand why she did this dreadful thing."
"First, I must tell you how sorry I am," Thekla said, turning to Miss Wilson. "I may not have been happy here, but I would never wish anything like this for you."
"Thank you," said Miss Wilson.
"I have never said anything about my time here to Hildegard, either," continued Thekla. "All the things she has heard have come from my parents and my brother. They were very upset that their choice of school for me was so poor. I know that I did not make any effort to conform to your ideals, and now I wonder if I would have had a happier life if I had done. However, I love Hildegard and I have tried to be a good mother to her. I did not realize that St. Mildred's was part of the Chalet School. Hildegard's grandfather arranged for her to come here."
"May we send for Mademoiselle Hildegard?" Poirot asked.
"Yes," Thekla agreed.
Gillian got up at once. "I'll go and fetch her," she said. She did not remember hearing much about Thekla, for she was seldom mentioned by anyone at the Chalet School. Her initial impression of her was that she was a very cold woman, who had had a difficult life and was not happy. She went quickly up to Hildegard's room and found that young lady standing by the window, looking out unseeingly across the Platz. When Gillian called her name, Hildegard turned and Gill saw that she was crying. Taking it as a sign of repentance, Gillian was glad. She took Hildegard's arm and led the unhappy girl down to the office.

#64: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:09 pm

Oooooh - nicely wrapped up, Fatima.

And interesting to see Thekla as she is now.

Thank you!

#65: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:32 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I am glad that Thekla isn't bitter towards the Chalet School and that Hildegard has been caught before she committed any more murders.

#66: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:50 am

The penultimate post!

As they walked in, Thekla stood up. Hildegard pulled away from Gillian and flung herself on her mother, who held her closely and comforted her in guttural German. Hildegard sobbed for a long time, until her mother finally asked her to stop and tell her exactly what she had been doing and why. Hildegard blew her nose on a handkerchief produced by Thekla and allowed herself to be seated on the settee beside her mother.
"Why did you do this dreadful thing?" asked Thekla, stroking her daughter's blonde hair.
"I wanted to avenge you," said Hildegard, looking nothing at all like a cold-blooded killer. "I thought you would be pleased if they closed this school and the Head you hate was imprisoned."
"I have never said anything like that," Thekla pointed out seriously.
"No," agreed Hildegard, "But you have been so sad always and Grandfather said it was because of the school. I only wanted to make you happy."
"The reason I have been sad is because of the death of your father and the struggle we have had to live nicely," Thekla admitted. "I wished I had done better for you, Hildegard, but the school is not to blame. If anyone is to blame it is I, for not listening to the teaching of this fine school."
"Perhaps, Madame, we should leave you to talk," said Poirot standing up. He bowed courteously to the sad looking woman and led Gillian and Miss Wilson from the room. Once safely in Gill's office, he turned to his two companions. "I feel very sad for that poor, misguided child," he said. "She has some wrong ideas and they have ruined her life before it has even begun."
"It makes me realize even more how important the influence of schooling is," said Miss Wilson gravely. "Maybe we did Thekla a big disservice all those years ago, expelling her. Perhaps it would have been better for us to have kept her with us and tried harder to help her accept our ways."
Gillian sighed. "What will happen to Hildegard?" she wondered. "I feel sorry for her, too, but it doesn't change the fact that she has killed three of our girls."
"She will probably be kept in some secure place, with others of a similar age," said Poirot sadly. "Hopefully she will not learn any worse ideas from those with her and will emerge at the end of her sentence a better person."

#67: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:38 am

Poor Thekla. I almost feel sorry for Hildegard ... but she has managed to murder 3 of the girls so maybe not.

#68: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:50 am

Poor Thekla, she lost so much. First the Nazis demolished the ideas held by her Junker family, then the horror of the war and the terrible things done by the Third Reich, and her husband dies. And now she has to come to terms with the fact that her daughter is a triple murderess.

#69: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:43 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I am sorry the CS didn't keep Thekla.

#70: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:56 pm

Finished at last! Thank you for all your comments. I actually feel rather sorry for Hildegard now, even though she has done such dreadful things. I hope her grandfather is upset by the effect his words had on his granddaughter.

Thekla and her daughter talked seriously for a long time, both crying and vowing to do better for one another in the future. They explained their feelings about their family, their lives and the hopes that they had once had; finally they emerged from the office and thanked Miss Wilson and Poirot for all they had done. Thekla agreed that it was time to call the police, but said that she would like to talk to the girls of St. Mildred's first, to apologise to them on Hildegard's behalf and explain some of her daughter's convoluted reasons for carrying out the murders. Hildegard tearfully apologised to both Miss Wilson and Gill for hurting them and said how sorry she was for all that she had done.
The girls were assembled after breakfast the next morning and Thekla addressed them movingly, apologising and begging their forgiveness for her daughter's actions. She explained something of her own career at the Chalet School and urged all the girls to do their best whilst at St. Mildred's and to learn everything that the school could offer them. To no one's surprise it was Len Maynard who stood up and gravely explained that they would all do their best to forgive Hildegard, but that it would not be easy.
Thekla thanked them for their politeness listening to her, then she and Hildegard left St. Mildred's with the police. Poirot, happy that another case had been solved, albeit with little effort from his famed little grey cells, bade farewell to his hostess, assuring Gillian that she would receive a warm welcome any time she wanted to call on him in Whitehaven Mansions. He wondered what his dear friend Hastings would think of the lovely red-haired lady, for Hastings had always had a weakness for women with Gillian's particular style of beauty.
Returning to St. Mildred's after taking her new friend to the railway station and seeing him safely onto the express, Gillian was amazed to find the school in uproar. The girls, overcome with high spirits after their recent terror, had sought an outlet for their emotions and had embarked on a series of wild pranks, which culminated in a large bottle of red ink being overturned and several of the girls ending up looking as if they were drenched in blood. Coming back to what seemed like a blood bath, Gillian almost passed out in the hallway, much to the entertainment of all who happened to be passing.
Once she had been reassured that there was not a second killer on the loose, and soothed with a cup of Julie Berne's nectar like coffee, Gillian was able to heave a sigh of relief and hope for a less eventful term after the Christmas holidays.

#71: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:39 pm

Thanks, Fatima, that was wonderful.

#72: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:04 pm

Thanks Fatima.

#73: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:25 pm

Thanks, Fatima. I'm glad everyone is safe again and they will try their best to forgive Hildegard. Thank you very much for writing this drabble.

#74: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:38 am

Thanks Fatima - it's interesting to have seen Bill's thoughts on Thekla, but I don't think it would have done her any good to have stayed.

#75: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 5:00 pm

Just caught up on everything - thanks for this, Fatima. Poor Thekla, and poor Hildegard as well... such a wrong-headed way of trying to help her mother. I'm glad Bill and Gillian are both okay, and Poirot's little grey cells are none the worse for their comparative lack of exercise in this particular case![/u]

The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

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