Nicholas Farrell as Major Knighton
In the novel The Mystery of the Blue Train, Major Richard Knighton is Rufus Van Aldin's secretary. He is described as "quick, intelligent, and resourceful, and he had a disctinct charm of manner". He had been hired by Mr Van Aldin two months prior to the opening of the story, when they casually met in a Swiss resort.
Major Knighton speaks French fluently, and has an "attractive boyish smile". He is tall and fair, and walks with a limp. He is well born, well connected, and did honourable service in the War.
During the War, Major Knighton was wounded, and was sent to the Officers' Hospital, which Lady Tamplin was running at the Villa Marguerite. According to Lenox Tamplin, he had been shot in the leg. The doctors had said that he would not limp, but when he left the hospital, he did have a limp.
Major Knighton is sent by Mr Van Aldin to see Derek Kettering, and make him a definite offer. If he did not defend the case when Ruth Kettering filed for divorce, he would receive one hundred thousand pounds. Major Knighton tells Derek that it was with the utmost unwillingness that he came to deliver this message. When Derek refuses the offer, Knighton says that he is glad that Derek answered as he had.
Major Knighton is later sent to Paris on Mr Van Aldin's business, which includes arranging a deal with Bartheimers. On his return to England, he tells Mr Van Aldin that he had seen Ada Mason at the Ritz in Paris. He had spoken to her, and found out that Ruth Kettering had gone on to the Riviera, and sent Mason to the Ritz to await further orders.
Major Knighton meets Katherine Grey when she comes to see Mr Van Aldin, to tell him about her conversation with Ruth on the day of her death. He later goes down with Katherine, to see her into the car which is to take her back to Lady Tamplin's house. Upon his return, Mr Van Aldin catches him day-dreaming, which is apparently not like him. Mr Van Aldin expresses the opinion that Katherine has bowled Major Knighton over, and asks if he has noticed her eyes. Major Knighton says that any man would be bound to notice her eyes.
Major Knighton telephones the Villa Marguerite to invite Katherine to the tennis. According to Lenox, he is particular to say that it is Mr Van Aldin's invitation. He says this so many times that Lenox begins to think that it is really he who wants to see Katherine, not Mr Van Aldin.
Major Knighton later tells Katherine that he cares for her. He is "shy and stammering", and his words come "haltingly with no eloquence to back them". He tells her that Mr Van Aldin may leave suddenly, and he may not have another chance to tell her how he feels. He tells her that he cares for her, and that if she is ever in trouble, he will do anything he can to help.
Major Knighton tells Poirot that Mirelle had come to the hotel wanting to see Mr Van Aldin, but that Mr Van Aldin had refused to see her. Knighton goes with Poirot to interview Mirelle, and also goes with them to the police.
After Katherine returns to England, Major Knighton visits her in St. Mary Mead. He has lunch with her and Miss Viner. After lunch, he and Katherine go for a walk and come back to have tea together, while Miss Viner is lying down.
Miss Viner later expresses the opinion that Major Knighton is genuinely in love with Katherine, because when he looks at her, he looks like a sheep.
Major Knighton later goes with Poirot and Mr Van Aldin to France, travelling on the Blue Train. Major Knighton occupies a compartment connecting to Mr Van Aldin's.
Role in the novel (spoilers ahead; do not read if you haven't read the novel yet)[]
He later turns out to be The Marquis, the ruthless jewel thief and murderer of the case. He is in league with Ada Mason, who landed a job as maid to Rufus Van Aldin's daughter, Ruth Kettering, in order to steal the Heart of Fire, an enormously valuable ruby.
A clue that made Poirot think Knighton was the murderer was that there was an cigarette case in the victim's compartment; it had the letter "K" on it. Ada Mason claimed it was a gift made from Ruth Kettering to her husband. However, this was a lie as the relationship between the couple was strained. So it was highly unlikely the cigarette case would have been a gift to her unfaithful husband.
Poirot also suspects Knighton because he was at the scene of two different jewel robberies, one at the Villa Marguerite, and one at a house in Yorkshire. Poirot explains that these may have been coincidences, or "another small link in the chain".
Portrayals[]
In the 2005 ITV Agatha Christie's Poirot episode adapted from The Mystery of the Blue Train, Richard Knighton was portrayed by actor Nicholas Farrell. In this version, Ada Mason tries to kill Katherine because Knighton had fallen in love with her.