"Older than you, surely!" Richard put in.
"Well, not much. She knew I couldn't bear her, and she called that night simply to annoy me."
"What makes you think that?"
"Think! I know it.... But you must have heard of the affair. Didn't they talk about it at your office?"
"I believe it was mentioned once," he said hastily.
She leaned back in her chair, with the same hard smile. Richard felt sure that Miss Roberts had guessed they were talking about herself, and that her eyes were fixed on them, but he dared not look up for confirmation; Adeline gazed boldly around her. They were antagonistic, these two women, and Richard, do what he would, could not repress a certain sympathy with Miss Roberts. If she had encouraged Mr. Aked's advances, what of that? It was no mortal sin, and he could not appreciate the reason of Adeline's strenuous contempt for her. He saw a little gulf widening between himself and Adeline.
"What tremendously red hair that girl has!" she said, later on.
"Yes, but doesn't it look fine!"
"Ye-es," Adeline agreed condescendingly.