“Oh, I used her after midnight,” said Virginia. “I thought you were talking about before.”
“No, after, dear,” said Derry gallantly.
“Oh, I used her after midnight.” She turned to her husband. “I felt I must have some air, so I sent for Filmer and went for a little drive.”
“Ah, that explains it,” said Derry, waving a hand. As though released from a spell, Captain and Mrs. Chase relaxed their muscles and murmured their concurrence. “Anything else, Constable?”
“If you please, sir.” He turned to Virginia. “Excuse me askin’ you, madam, but were you alone?”
Supercharged with resentment and mortification, Virginia could have burst.
Instead, she turned to Roger.
“Did you come with me or not? I know you said you were going to, but I went to sleep almost at once, and——”
“Yes, I came,” said Roger, uncrossing and recrossing his legs and mentally consigning all women and police-officers to outer darkness. “Don’t you remember when I woke you to say we were back?”
“I can’t say I do,” said Virginia ruthlessly. “Never mind.” She turned to the constable. “This gentleman says he was with me.”