Chapter 19Shakespeare strolled into the pub on St. Mary's island in disguise and doffed his brown fedora hat with the red feather in the band. He took a bow before the corner table, holding out his hat as James applauded.
"Once again, I have returned to that which held in awe the London theatre-going masses." Shakespeare straightened, then took another bow.
"Jonah didn't suspect anything?" said James.
"I met him at the railing on the ferry." Shakespeare spread his arms wide. "He saw the hat, the pipe, tweed jacket, white turtleneck—the uniform of a scholar. The gray in my hair and beard suggested grandfatherly age and benignity." He rubbed his mustache, and his hand came away with a dusting of the gray powder he'd used to color it. "The rest of the performance arose from within."
