"I am quite certain that you can," said the lawyer, politely ironical. "Go on."
"Mrs. Tait kept a lodging-house in Bloomsbury. My mother lived there after leaving her husband--my father, who treated her very badly. I am right," she added turning to Hale, "in saying this?"
"He behaved like a brute," said Hale emphatically, "but then he always was a brute I am sorry to say."
"Dear me," murmured Jabez, "proceed, please."
"My mother left me with Mrs. Tait, as she had very little money and went to seek out my father at Wimbledon one bitterly cold, snowy day. He turned her from his door, and she nearly perished in the snow. Fortunately this good man," Maud glanced pathetically at Hale, who tried not to look too conscious, "took in the starving and chilled woman. My mother died, and I was left to Mrs. Tait's kind care."
"What about the cross?" asked Jabez abruptly, stifling a yawn.
"I can explain that," interposed Hale quickly, "indeed I have already done so. It was given to my wife and----"
"Of course: of course, I remember now. Well," Jabez turned to Maud, "so you remained with Mrs. Tait."
"Until she died. Then her husband adopted me as his niece and with him I lived, retaining my name of Maud Ellis."
"There was a husband then?"