"I heard of you at St. Joseph's," Lady Sophia continued. "A friend of mine, Lily Armitage, saw you there. I didn't. I was sitting at the back. I have taken to sitting quite at the back of the church. What did you think of it?"
"Do you wish me to be frank, and do you mean the two sermons?"
She hesitated for an instant. Then she said:
"I do mean the sermons, and I do wish you to be frank."
"I thought Mr. Chichester's sermon very remarkable indeed."
"And my husband's sermon?"
Her lips twisted almost as if with contempt when she said the words, "my husband's."
"Why doesn't Mr. Harding take a long rest?" said Malling, speaking conventionally, a thing that he seldom did.
"You think he needs one?"
"He has a tiresome malady, I understand."