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illustrated in Homes and Gardens and all the rest of it. Yes, Mrs Llewellyn-Smythe knew how to pick
people. It wasn't just a question of a handsome young man as a protege. Some elderly women are
foolish that way, but this chap had brains and was at the top of his profession. But I'm wandering on a
bit. Mrs Llewellyn-Smythe died nearly two years ago."
"Quite suddenly."
Fullerton looked at Poirot sharply.
"Well, no, I wouldn't say that. She had a heart condition and doctors tried to keep her from doing too
much, but she was the sort of woman that you couldn't dictate to. She wasn't a hypochondriac type." He
coughed and said, "But I expect we are getting away from the subject about which you came to talk to
me."
"Not really," said Poirot, "although I would like, if I may, to ask you a few questions on a completely
different matter. Some information about one of your employees, by name Lesley Ferrier."
Mr Fullerton looked somewhat surprised. "Lesley Ferrier?" he said.
"Lesley Ferrier. Let me see. Really, you know, I'd nearly forgotten his name. Yes, yes, of course. Got
himself knifed, didn't he?"
"That is the man I mean."
"Well, I don't really know that I can tell you much about him. It took place some time ago. Knifed near
the Green Swan one night. No arrest was ever made. I daresay the police had some idea who was
responsible, but it was mainly, I think, a matter of getting evidence."
"The motive was emotional?" inquired Poirot.
"Oh yes, I should certainly think so. Jealousy, you know. He'd been going steady with a married woman.
Her husband had a pub. The Green Swan at Woodleigh Common. Unpretentious place. Then it seems
young Lesley started playing around with another young woman - or more than one, it was said. Quite a
one for the girls, he was. There was a bit of trouble once or twice."
"You were satisfied with him as an employee?"
"I would rather describe it as not dissatisfied. He had his points. He handled clients well and was
studying for his articles, and if only he'd paid more attention to his position and keeping up a good
standard of behaviour, it would have been better instead of mixing himself up with one girl after
another, most of whom I am apt in my old-fashioned way to consider as considerably beneath him in
station. There was a row one night at the Green Swan, and Lesley Ferrier was knifed on his way home."
"Was one of the girls responsible, or would it be Mrs Green Swan, do you think?"
"Really, it is not a case of knowing anything definite. I believe the police considered it was a case of
jealousy but -" He shrugged his shoulders.
"But you are not sure?"
"Oh, it happens," said Mrs Fullerton. '"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' That is always being
quoted in Court. Sometimes it's true."
"But I think I discern that you yourself are not at all sure that that was the case here."
"Well, I should have preferred rather more evidence, shall we say. The police would have preferred
rather more evidence, too. Public prosecutor threw it out, I believe."
"It could have been something quite different?"
"Oh yes. One could propound several theories. Not a very stable character, young Ferrier. Well brought
up. Nice mother - a widow. Father not so satisfactory. Got himself out of several scrapes by the skin of
his teeth. Hard luck on his wife. Our young man in some ways resembled his father. He was associated
once or twice with rather a doubtful crowd. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He was young still. But
I warned him that he was getting himself mixed up with the wrong lot. Too closely connected with
fiddling transactions outside the law. Frankly, but for his mother, I wouldn't have kept him. He was
young, and he had ability; I gave him a warning or two which I hoped might do the trick. But there's a
lot of corruption about these days. It's been on the increase for the last ten years."
"Someone might have had it in for him, you think?"
"Quite possible. These associations - gangs is a rather melodramatic word - but you run a certain danger
when you get tangled up with them. Any idea that you may split on them, and a knife between your
shoulder blades isn't an uncommon thing to happen."
"Nobody saw it happen?"
"No. Nobody saw it happen. They wouldn't, of course. Whoever took the job on would have all the
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