Madame Wachner babbled on, making conversation for Chester.
She was trying to find out something more about this quiet Englishman.
Why had he come to Lacville? How long was he going to stay here? What was
his real relation to Sylvia Bailey?
Those were the questions that the pretty English widow's new friend
was asking herself, finding answers thereto which were unsatisfactory,
because vague and mysterious.
At last she ventured a direct query.
"Are you going to stay long in this beautiful place, Monsieur?"
"I don't know," said Chester shortly. "I don't suppose I shall stay very
long. I'm going on to Switzerland. How long I stay will a little bit
depend on Mrs. Bailey's plans. I haven't had time to ask her anything
yet. What sort of a place is the Villa du Lac?"
He asked the question abruptly; he was already full of dislike and
suspicion of everything, though not of everybody, at Lacville. These
Wachners were certainly nice, simple people.
"Oh, the Villa du Lac is a very respectable 'ouse," said Madame Wachner
cautiously. "It is full of respectable--what do you call them?--dowagers.
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