Her voice broke for the first time, and she turned back to the stairs. Rose and Mary went with her but Jenny lingered in the hall, where she had the comfort of seeing her husband through the dining-room door. Dr. Mount stopped as he was going back into the room.
“Has anyone told his wife?”
“Yes—one of the men came to Starvecrow at once.... I told her.... They thought it best not to take him there.”
“Of course—quite right. How did she bear it?—Perhaps I ought to go and see her.”
“Her mother’s with her, but I’m sure they’d be glad if you went there.”
“I’ve got the car—I could run round in a few minutes. I must go home too ... one or two things to see to ... I don’t think I’m wanted here just now.”
The doctor seemed terribly shaken by Peter’s death, but that was very natural, considering he had known him from a child. Also, Jenny reflected, being a religious man, the idea of suicide would particularly appall him.
“Doctor—do you—do you think he did it himself?”
“I’m sorely afraid he did.”
“But what can have made him? ... I mean, why should he? I always thought he was so happy—too happy, even. I sometimes thought him self-satisfied and over-fed.”