“It is utterly absurd,” said Mrs Matthews, pressing her handkerchief to her lips, “but the Superintendent seems to think that I could have put that dreadful poison into your aunt's early-morning teapot.” She gave a wan smile, and added: “If it were not such a painful thought, so wounding to one's feeling, I could laugh at it! I haven't the least idea what was done with the early tea-trays, and I didn't wake until the housemaid came into my room, so how I could have tampered with your aunt's teapot, I entirely fail to see.”
“You say that you only awoke when the maid came into your room, Mrs Matthews, but she states that you were already awake when she went in. Are you quite sure that you are telling me the truth?”
“I suppose,” said Mrs Matthews tragically, “that you are at liberty to insult me as much as you choose. It only remains for you to arrest me. Indeed, I am astonished that you haven't done so already.”
Hannasyde did not answer immediately, and Guy, who at the mention of the early tea had shot one swift, horrified look at his sister, now removed his hand from the back of his mother's chair, and said jerkily: “Nobody's going to arrest you, mother, I can assure you. You're very clever, Superintendent, but it was I who poisoned my aunt, not my mother.”
“Guy, you fool!” Stella cried.
He paid no attention to her, but looked squarely at Hannasyde. Mrs Matthews said tensely: “That's not true! Don't listen to him! I know it's not true!”
Hannasyde met Guy's bright, defiant eyes with an enigmatical look in his own. “How did you poison your aunt, Mr Matthews?”
“In her tea,” replied Guy. “The tea she had at breakfast. I was down first. I knew my sister always has coffee. When I told you I drank tea that day, I lied. I didn't. I drank coffee.”
“No, Guy, no!” said his mother. “You don't know what you're saying! Superintendent, my son is only trying to shield me! There's not a word of truth in what he says! You can see for yourself —”
“Did you also poison your uncle, Mr Matthews?” inquired Hannasyde.