"Never mind about breakfast for me this morning, Mrs. Pitman," he
said. "I'll get a cup of coffee at the other end of the bridge. I'll
take the boat and send it back with Terry."
He turned and went along the hall and down to the boat. I heard him
push off from the stairs with an oar and row out into the street.
Peter followed him to the stairs.
At a quarter after seven Mr. Ladley came out and called to me: "Just
bring in a cup of coffee and some toast," he said. "Enough for one."
He went back and slammed his door, and I made his coffee. I steeped a
cup of tea for Mrs. Ladley at the same time. He opened the door just
wide enough for the tray, and took it without so much as a "thank
you." He had a cigarette in his mouth as usual, and I could see a fire
in the grate and smell something like scorching cloth.
"I hope Mrs. Ladley is better," I said, getting my foot in the crack
of the door, so he could not quite close it. It smelled to me as if he
had accidentally set fire to something with his cigarette, and I tried
to see into the room.
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