“You don’t seem to be looking forward to the ordeal,” Roger said quickly, with a slight smile. “I hate the idea of giving evidence,” Mrs. Plant replied, almost passionately. “It’s horrible!” “Oh, come. It isn’t as bad as all that. It’s not like a law case, you know. There’ll be no cross-examination, or anything like that. The proceedings will be purely formal, I take it, eh, Jefferson?” “Purely,” Jefferson said, lighting a cigarette with deliberation. “Don’t suppose the whole thing will last more than twenty minutes.” “So you see there won’t be anything very dreadful in it, Mrs. Plant. May I have another cup of tea, please?” “Well, I wish it were over; that’s all,” Mrs. Plant said with a nervous little laugh, and Roger noticed that the hand which held his cup shook slightly. Jefferson rose to his feet. “Afraid I shall have to leave you chaps to your own resources again,” he remarked abruptly. “Lady Stanworth hopes you’ll do whatever you like. Sorry to appear so inhospitable, but you know what things are like at this sort of time.” He walked out of the room. Roger decided to put out a small feeler. “Jefferson doesn’t seem extraordinarily upset really, does he?” he said to Mrs. Plant. “Yet it must be rather a shock to lose an employer, with whom one’s been so many years, in this tragic way.” Mrs. Plant glanced at him, as if rather questioning the good taste of this remark. “I don’t think Major Jefferson is the sort of man to show his real feelings before comparative strangers, do you, Mr. Sheringham?” she replied a little stiffly. “Probably not,” Roger replied easily. “But he seems singularly unperturbed about it all.” “He is a very imperturbable sort of person, I imagine.” Roger tried another tack. “Had you known Mr. Stanworth long, Mrs. Plant?” he asked conversationally, leaning back in his chair and pulling his pipe out of his pocket. “You don’t mind if I smoke, do you?” “Please do. Oh, no; not very long. My—my husband knew him, you know.” “I see. A curious habit that of his, asking comparative, or, in my case at any rate, complete strangers down to these little gatherings, wasn’t it?” “I think Mr. Stanworth was a very hospitable man,” Mrs. Plant replied tonelessly. “Very! A most excellent fellow in every way, didn’t you think?” Roger asked with enthusiasm. “Oh, most,” said Mrs. Plant in a curiously flat voice. Roger glanced at her shrewdly. “You don’t agree with me, Mrs. Plant?” he said suddenly. Mrs. Plant started. “I?” she said hurriedly. “Why, of course I do. I thought Mr. Stanworth a—a very nice man indeed. Charming! Of course I agree with you.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought for the moment that you didn’t seem very enthusiastic about him. No earthly reason why you should be, of course. Everybody has their likes and dislikes, don’t they?” Mrs. Plant glanced quickly at Roger, and then looked out of the window. “I was simply thinking how—how tragic the whole thing is,” she said in a low voice.