"Is it about me?"
"Yes."
"What's the matter, Mr. Lane? Is it anything serious?"
"Very."
"Nonsense!" said Claudia. "You really mustn't do it, Mr. Lane, or I can't stay for the cricket-match."
"We shall be desolate. Stafford's going in a few days."
But Claudia's face was entirely guileless as she replied:
"Is he? I'm so sorry! But he's looking much stronger, isn't he?"
With which she departed to join Sir Roderick, who had been spending the interval in extracting from Morewood an account of Stafford's behavior.
"Hard hit, was he?" he concluded.