In which the Mathematician gives himself away

It takes the Mathematician a long time to get through my books, because he listens to the unabridged audio — and only when he’s in the car. For the past couple months he’s been steadily working his way through Queen of Swords. Every once in a while he asks me questions. Today the truth came out.

M: Do you think they really made the slaves work the Jamaica train for eighteen hours at a time?

R: I based all that on diaries and early documents.  It was really insane, what went on during the sugar harvest.

M: Yeah, I know. I looked it up.

R:

M: What?

R: You were fact checking me?

M: No!

R:

M: What? It was interesting, so I looked it up.

R:

M: That’s a compliment, you know. That it was so interesting.

R: How long has this been going on? Since the first book?

M:

R: I am officially affronted.