But whether he wore the shawl or not
in the safe privacy of Tower Cottage, whatever might be the truth about
that--perhaps he varied his practice according to his condition--on one
thing Doctor Mary would stake her life; he used the combination
knife-and-fork!
For it was over that implement that Beaumaroy had tripped up. It ought to
have been hidden before she was admitted to the cottage. Somebody had
been careless, somebody had blundered--whether Beaumaroy himself or his
servant was immaterial. Beaumaroy had lied, readily and ingeniously, but
not quite readily enough. The dart of his hand had betrayed him; that,
and a look in his eyes, a tell-tale mirth which had seemed to mock both
her and himself, and had made his ingenious lie even at the moment
unconvincing. Yes, whether Mr. Saffron wore the shawl or not, he
certainly used the combination table implement!
And the "poems?" The poems which Mr. Saffron recited to himself in bed,
and which he had said, in Captain Alec's hearing, were good and "went
well." It was Beaumaroy, of course, who had called them poems; the
Captain had merely repeated the description.
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