Sir Donald glanced at him and said:
“Thank you.”
“Why not?” said Lady Holme.
It was obvious to both men that there was no need to answer her question. She laid the gloves in her lap, smoothed them with her small fingers, and kept silence. Silence was characteristic of her. When she was in society she sometimes sat quite calmly and composedly without uttering a word. After watching her for a minute or two, Sir Donald said:
“You must know Venice very well and understand it completely.”
“Oh, I’ve been there, of course.”
“Recently?”
“Not so very long ago. After my marriage Fritz took me all over Europe.”
“And you loved Venice.”
Sir Donald did not ask a question, he made a statement.