The grin broadened on the Bailiff's puffy lips.
"You can bet your last sou on that! It would have broken my heart not to be the first to tell you...."
Jacques took a threatening step toward him.
"I'll break more than your heart if you don't answer my question...."
"Patience, pa—Oh, all right!" the Bailiff hastily interrupted himself as Jacques took another step in his direction. "You've got a woman to shoot down this time—and that's just half the story!"
Jacques' craggy features hardened into immobility.
"What's the rest of it, fool?"
"There's gossip going around that she's a page out of your past—maybe several pages, or even a whole chapter!"
Jacques leaped the rest of the distance to the door and grabbed the Bailiff by his lace collar, twisting it until his round, fat cheeks swelled and reddened.
"Who is it?"