Bill hadn't expected any of this. Here was one of the richest men in Whitby, inviting into his front room a man who shoveled coal for a living, and offering him drink in a fancy glass on top of that. Was it poisoned?

Bill did sit down. He had washed and put on clean clothes after work, but he was still worried about staining the sofa somehow. He held on to the glass, but did not drink.

"We had no idea about any of this until tonight, ser, not about yer offer to 'im either." Was the man speaking the truth? Then maybe the drink was not poisoned. Mr. Carrington had seemed decent to him before. He had made his son work at the railway to punish him for his false allegation against J-, "But God!... sorry... But yer son was right and Joe was in t' wrong. 'e told us 'e was just assistin' Miss Pearl. Yer son 'ad every right to report 'im. 'E had no business courting her."