“I think Mr. Stanworth was a very hospitable man,” Mrs. Plant replied tonelessly.
“Very! A most excellent fellow in every way, didn’t you think?” Roger asked with enthusiasm.
“Oh, most,” said Mrs. Plant in a curiously flat voice.
Roger glanced at her shrewdly. “You don’t agree with me, Mrs. Plant?” he said suddenly.
Mrs. Plant started.
“I?” she said hurriedly. “Why, of course I do. I thought Mr. Stanworth a—a very nice man indeed. Charming! Of course I agree with you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought for the moment that you didn’t seem very enthusiastic about him. No earthly reason why you should be, of course. Everybody has their likes and dislikes, don’t they?”
Mrs. Plant glanced quickly at Roger, and then looked out of the window. “I was simply thinking how—how tragic the whole thing is,” she said in a low voice.
There was a short silence.
“Lady Stanworth didn’t seem to be on very good terms with him, though, did she?” Roger remarked carelessly, prodding at the tobacco in his pipe with a match-stalk.