Hannasyde glanced towards him. “I don't know, Mr Matthews? That is one of the things I've come to find out.”
“But it's incredible!” Guy declared. “I simply can't believe it!”
“I'm afraid there's no doubt, Guy,” interposed Fielding. “The analysts discovered nicotine.”
Guy blinked. “Nicotine? But he didn't smoke!”
“So Dr Fielding has been telling me,” replied Hannasyde.
Miss Matthews found her voice. “Then it couldn't have been the duck!” she said.
“The duck?” repeated Hannasyde a little blankly.
“Yes, because if there had been any poison in that we should all be dead! And in any case I have the bill for two lamb cutlets, and anyone will tell you that they were ordered for my brother, even though he didn't eat them.”
“Miss Matthews was afraid that the roast duck which her brother ate that evening might have caused his death,” explained the doctor.
“I see,” said Hannasyde. “No, it could hardly have been the duck, Miss Matthews. Can you remember what else your brother ate or drank on the night he died?”