“You dislike her?”

“Very much.”

“Your father was a widower?”

“Yes.”

“When did he marry his present wife?”

“About two years ago.”

“Are there any other children?”

“No. His widow has a grown son, however.”

“Was this last marriage a success? Was your father happy?”

“No. He was very unhappy. He realized he’d been victimized. He would have asked for an annulment, or a divorce, if it hadn’t been for his dread of publicity.”