"What are you talking of, Mrs. Ward?"
"It's in that drawer." She pointed to the table.
"Oh, dear, no, it isn't," said Derrington, blandly; "there is no stiletto, there never was one. We have had a nice talk--shall we say about chiffons?" In spite of her rage at being outwitted Mrs. Ward gave a hollow laugh at the thought of Lord Derrington discussing chiffons. "A nice talk, I say, and now we must part."
"Not before I have had my say," said Mrs. Ward, savagely. "I see perfectly well that I have been foolish to let that stiletto get into your hands. But I thought I was dealing with a man of honor."
"Ah, Mrs. Ward, few of us can aspire to your high principles!"
The sneer infuriated her. "You can deny the stiletto if you like to the public, but you dare not do so to me."
"Why not? For the sake of argument we will admit the existence of the weapon. You come here with it in your hand and state that you found it in my coat--in the lining of the coat."
"And I did--I did--you know I did."
"Indeed, I know nothing of the sort. I deny that the stiletto was ever in pocket or in lining. I did not see you take it out."
"I waited till you were out of the room before I examined the coat."