But he forgot that the subtlest evasions of the male mind are clumsy and obvious to a woman, especially if the woman be on the alert.
Sybil Linforth did not think Sir John had showed any cleverness whatever.
She let him turn the conversation, because she knew what she had set out to know.

That string of pearls had made the difference between Sir John's estimate of Violet Oliver last year and his estimate of her this season..