'What? I don't understand.'
'Oh, I'm sure you do! You alluded to it the other day. Some women have such tiresome husbands.'
The look which accompanied this struck Alma cold. She sat motionless, staring at the speaker.
'What do you mean? You think that my husband——?'
'I meant only to encourage you, my dear.'
'You think that my husband has less sense of honour than Mr. Carnaby?'
Mrs. Strangeways looked wonderingly at her.
'How strange you are! Could I have dreamt of saying anything so ill-mannered?'
'You implied it!' exclaimed Alma, her voice thrilling on the note of indignation. 'How dare you so insult me! Is it possible that you have such thoughts?'
Overcome by what seemed to her the humour of the situation, Mrs Strangeways frankly laughed.