repeated Beatrice. "At night? Did she wear it in her hair while sleeping?"
"I never knew the lady," laughed Idris, "so I am unable to answer. Why shouldn't she?"
"Because during sleep she might turn her head upon the point and receive an unpleasant stab."
"You speak from experience?"
"An experience as recent only as last night."
"We must leave Gudrun's bodkin suspended in midair while you tell me how this happened."
"There is really nothing to tell. When I went to bed I forgot to remove the stiletto from my hair. Somehow, I was unable to sleep last night."
"You were thinking of the skull, perhaps?"
"Yes, it must have been that," replied Beatrice, colouring at this prevarication, for had she spoken truly, she must have told him that he was the cause of her unrest.
"And so," she continued, "while I was tossing from side to side, the stiletto must have got loose, and in turning my head on the pillow I received a stab from the point of it. Nothing to speak of, a mere scalp wound."