Mr. Paxton seemed to hesitate; then took her breath away with his answer.
"He is right in thinking so; I had."
She was standing at his bedside. When he said that, she looked down at him as if she felt either that her ears must be playing her false or that he must be still delirious. Yet he seemed to speak rationally, and although pale and wan and but the shadow of his old self, he did not look as if he were insane.
"Cyril! You don't understand me. I say that he thinks that you had something to do with the stealing of the Datchet diamonds--some improper connection with the crime, I mean."
"I understand you perfectly well, my dear. I repeat, I had."
She sat down on a chair and gasped.
"You had! Goodness gracious! What?"
"After they had been stolen. The diamonds came into my possession owing to an accident."
"Cyril! Whatever did you do with them?"
"They are in my possession now."